







































VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL 


HEARINGS 


BEFORE A 


SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE 


a 7 Sr 


COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AFFAIRS 


STATES. SENATE 


ON 


A BILL TO PROVIDE FOR RAISING THE VOLUNTEER 
FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES IN TIME OF 
ACTUAL OR THREATENED WAR 


TUESDAY, JUNE 13, 1911 
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14, 1911 
and 

TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 1911 


Printed for the use of the Committee on Military Affairs 


WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
1911 



















COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AFFAIRS. 

United States Senate. 

HENRY A. DU PONT, Delaware, Chairman. 


FRANCIS E. WARREN, Wyoming. 
JOSEPH M. DIXON, Montana. 
FRANK O. BRIGGS, New Jersey. 
NORRIS BROWN, Nebraska. 
SIMON GUGGENHEIM, Colorado. 
JOSEPH L. BRISTOW, Kansas. 
WESLEY L. JONES, Washington. 
WILLIAM LORIMER, Illinois. 

2 


MURPHY J. FOSTER, Louisiana. 
JOSEPH F. JOHNSTON, Alabama. 
JAMES P. CLARKE, Arkansas. 
ROBERT L. TAYLOR, Tennessee. 
GEORGE E. CHAMBERLAIN, Oregon. 
GILBERT M. HITCHCOCK, Nebraska. 
JOHN SHARP WILLIAMS, Mississippi. 


n: nr 

4 191 1 




VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


TUESDAY. JUNE 13. 1911. 

United States Senate, 
Subcommittee on Military Affairs. 
The subcommittee of the Committee on Military Affairs having in 
charge the bill S. 2518, to provide for raising the volunteer forces of 
the United States in time of actual or threatened war, met at 11 
o’clock a. m. 

Present: Senator du Pont (chairman), and Senators Briggs and 
Poster, of the subcommittee, and Senator Clarke, of the committee. 
The following bill was under consideration by the committee: 

• 

[S. 2518, Sixty-second Congress, first session.] 

A BILL To provide for raising the volunteer forces of the I. T nited States in time of actual 

or threatened war. 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled. That all male citizens of the United. 
States and all male persons of foreign birth that declare their intention to be¬ 
come citizens of the United States under and in pursuance of the laws thereof, 
who are of sound body and mind and between the ages of eighteen and forty-five 
years, are hereby declared to constitute the national forces, and with such 
exceptions and under such conditions as may he prescribed by law shall be 
liable to perform military duty in the service of the United States. 

Sec. 2. That the organized and active land forces of the United States shall 
consist of the Regular Army and of the National Guard: Provided, That in time 
of war, or when war is imminent, the aforesaid land forces may be augmented 
by such volunteer forces as Congress may authorize. 

Sec. 3. That the Regular Army is the permanent military establishment which 
is maintained both in peace and war under the provisions of law. 

Sec. 4. That the National Guard is the Organized Militia of the several States 
and Territories and District of Columbia, organized as a land force and subject 
to be called into the service of the United States. 

Sec. 5. That the volunteer forces shall be maintained only during the exist¬ 
ence of war, or while war is imminent, and shall be raised and organized, as 
this act provided, only after Congress has or shall have authorized the Presi¬ 
dent to raise such a force: Provided , That all enlistments in the volunteer forces 
shall be for a period terminating with the conclusion of hostilities or the pass¬ 
ing of the emergency, unless sooner discharged, and that all officers and men 
composing said forces shall be discharged from the service of the United States 
as soon as practicable after the conclusion of hostilities or the passing of the 
emergency. 

Sec. 6. That wiien volunteer forces are to be raised the President shall issue 
his proclamation stating the number of men desired for each arm, corps, and 
department within such limits as may be fixed by law, and the Secretary of 
War shall prescribe such rules and regulations, not inconsistent with the terms 

3 



4 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


of this act, as may be necessary for the purpose of examining, organizing, and 
receiving into the service the men called for: Provided, That the power to or¬ 
ganize shall include the power to provide the officers and enlisted men of all 
grades and classes, including trained nurses, male and female, that may be 
necessary in the various arms, corps, and departments: Provided further , That 
all men received in the service in the volunteer forces shall, as far ns prac¬ 
ticable, be taken from the several States and Territories and the District of 
Columbia in proportion to their respective populations. 

Sec. 7. That the volunteer forces shall be subject to the laws, regulations, and 
orders governing the Regular Army; and the organization of all units of the line 
and of the signal troops of such forces shall be the same as that prescribed by 
law and regulations for the corresponding units of the Regular Army: Provided, 
That when military conditions so require, the President may organize the land 
forces of the United States into brigades and divisions and such higher units as 
he may deem necessary, and the composition of units higher than the regiment 
shall be as he may prescribe: Provided further, That to each regiment of in¬ 
fantry, cavalry, and artillery, and to each battalion of engineers and signal 
troops organized under this act. there shall be attached the same personnel and 
troops of the Medical Department as are attached to like organizations of the 
Regular Army: Provided f urther, That the organization of the coast defenses, 
of machine-gun detachments, sanitary formations, remount depots, military 
trains, secret-service agencies, military prisons, lines of communications, in¬ 
cluding their supply depots, and of other adjuncts that may be necessary in the 
prosecution of war, and the organization of which is not otherwise provided for 
by law, shall be as the President may from time to time direct. 

Sec. 8. That the President is authorized, by and with the advice and consent 
of the Senate, to appoint all officers required to effect the organization of units, 
as set forth in this act, the number and grade of such officers not to exceed the 
number and grade of like officers provided for a like force of the Regular 
Army: Provided, That the President may appoint, by and with the advice and 
consent of the Senate, volunteer chaplains at the rate of one for each regiment 
of volunteer infantry, cavalry, and field artillery and one for every twelve com¬ 
panies of volunteer coast artillery raised: Provided further, That all appoint¬ 
ments below the grade of brigadier general in the line of the volunteer forces 
shall be by commission in an arm of the service and not by commission-in any 
particular regiment, and officers in each arm of the service shall be assigned to 
regiments and transferred from one regiment to another, as the interests of the 
service may require, by orders from the War Department. 

Sec. 9. That to provide the staff officers that will be necessary in the various 
staff corps and departments in time of war, while war is imminent, and that are 
not otherwise provided for in this act, the President is authorized to appoint, 
by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, such number of volunteer 
staff officers of the proper grades for such corps and departments as he may find 
necessary: Provided, That the total number of such officers so appointed shall 
not exceed the ratio of one officer in two hundred enlisted men for all National 
Guard and vounteer forces called into the service of the United States: Provided 
further, That no officer above the grade of colonel shall be appointed under the 
provisions of this section. 

Sec. 10. That in appointing originally the volunteer officers authorized in this 
act, and in all subsequent promotions and appointments of volunteer officers, 
the President may select them from the Regular Army, from the Organized 
Militia of the District of Columbia, and, upon the recommendation of the various 
governors, from the Organized Militia of the several States and Territories, 
and from the country at large: Provided, That in appointments from the coun¬ 
try at large preference shall be given those who have had honorable service 
in the Regular Army, the National Guard, or the volunteer forces, or who have 
been graduated from educational institutions in which military instruction is 
compulsory, and to those duly qualified and registered pursuant to section 
twenty-three of the act approved January twenty-first, nineteen hundred and 
three: Provided further, That not to exceed two Regular Army officers shall 
hold volunteer commissions in any one battalion of volunteer engineers or 
signal troops at the same time; and not to exceed two Regular Army officers 
shall hold volunteer commissions in any one battalion of volunteer field ar¬ 
tillery at the same time; and not to exceed four Regular Army officers shall 
hold commissions in any one regiment of volunteer cavalry, field artillery, or 
infantry, or in every twelve companies of coast artillery, including their field 
and staff, at the same time: And provided further, That Regular Army officers 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


5 


appointed as officers of Volunteers under this act shall not thereby vacate their 
R ?’ J ' ar 11 A ™f V ^’missions !»' he prejudiced In their relative or lineal standing. 
nn ' * c ‘ , T hat ^ ,e vacancies created in any grade among the commissioned 
1 ersonnel of any arm. Staff Corps, or department of the Regular Army, through 
appointment of its officers to higher volunteer rank, shall be subject to the 
provisions of section twenty-seven of the act of February second, nineteen hun¬ 
dred and one, with reference to details to the Staff Corps: Provided, That 

thereafter at the bottom of the arm, corps, or department 
i. Lruaj be filled temporarily, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate 
by the appointment of officers of such number and grade as shall maintain each 
arm, coi^ps, and department at its full authorized commissioned strength. The 
officers thus appointed shall hold temporary commissions to continue in force 
only until the conclusion of hostilities or the passing of the emergency, where¬ 
upon they shall be discharged in the same manner as is provided by law in the 
case of volunteer officers. 


Skc. 12. That all returns and muster rolls of organizations of the volunteer 
forces shall be rendered to The Adjutant General of the Army, and upon the 
muster out of such organizations the records pertaining to them shall be trans¬ 
ferred to and filed in The Adjutant General's office. And regimental and all 
other medical officers serving with volunteer troops in the field or elsewhere 
shall keep a daily record of all soldiers reported sick or wounded, as shown by 
the morning calls or reports, and shall deposit such reports, with other reports 
provided for in this section, in The Adjutant General’s office, as provided herein 
for other reports, returns, and muster rolls. 

Sec. 13. That in time of war all organizations of the land forces shall be 
recruited and maintained as near their prescribed strength as practicable. For 
this purpose the necessary rendezvous and depots shall be established by the 
Secretary of War for the enlistment and training of recruits, and in order that 
officers may be available for recruiting duty the President is authorized, by 
and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to appoint officers of volunteers 
of the proper arm of the service, additional to those elsewhere herein author¬ 
ized, in numbers not to exceed at the rate of one major, four captains, five 
first lieutenants, and five second lieutenants for each organized regiment of 
Cavalry, Field Artillery, and Infantry, each three battalions of Engineers, and 
each twelve companies of Coast Artillery; that for purposes of instruction 
and discipline the troops at recruit depots herein authorized may be organized 
into companies and battalions, at the discretion of the Secretary of War, with 
noncommissioned officers and privates of such grades and numbers as may be 
prescribed by the President. The recruit rendezvous and recruit depots herein 
prescribed shall be under the direct control of the War Department, and shall 
render their reports and returns to The Adjutant General of the Army: Pro¬ 
vided, That to maintain the National Guard organizations in the service of the 
United States at their maximum strength, the recruiting rendezvous and depots 
in any State or Territory may, at the request of the governor thereof, enlist 
and train recruits for the National Guard organizations in the service of the 
United States from that State. 

Sec. 14. That in the organization of the recruiting system the President is 
authorized to employ retired officers, noncommissioned officers, and privates 
of the Regular Army, either with their rank on the retired list or, in the 
case of enlisted men, with increased noncommissioned rank, or he may, by 
and with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint and employ retired 
officers with increased volunteer commissioned rank not to exceed one grade 
above that held by them upon the retired list: Provided, That retired officers 
and enlisted men while thus employed shall not be eligible for transfer to the 
field units, but shall receive the full pay and allowances of the respective 
grades in which they are serving, whether volunteer or regular, in lieu of their 
retired pay and allowances: Provided further. That upon the termination of 
the duty, or, in case of those given volunteer rank, upon muster out as vol¬ 
unteers, the officers and men shall revert to their retired status. 

Sec. 15. That all officers provided for in this act are, with the exceptions 
contained in section fourteen hereof, subject to such assignments of duty and 
such transfers as the President may make: Provided, That medical officers of 
volunteers when detailed as consulting surgeons shall not exercise command 
over the hospitals to which they may be assigned for duty, except that by virtue 
of their commissions they may command all enlisted men: Provided further. 
That medical inspectors shall be detailed for duty with each army, field army, 
and division, and for the base and lines of communications, and that no officer 


6 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


shall be detailed for duty as a medical inspector except lie be experienced in 
military sanitation. 

Sec. 16. That all officers and enlisted men of the volunteer forces shall be 
in all respects on the same footing as to pay, allowances, and pensions as 
officers and enlisted men of corresponding grades in the Regular Army: Pro¬ 
vided, That enlisted men in the quartermaster’s department and subsistence 
department of the volunteer forces shall receive the same pay and allowances 
as enlisted men of corresponding grades in the Engineer Corps. 

Sec. IT. That the commander of a division or separate brigade is authorized 
to appoint, from time to time, military boards of not less than three nor more 
than five officers of the volunteer forces to examine into the capacity, quali¬ 
fications, conduct, and efficiency of any commissioned officer of said forces 
within his command: Provided, That each member of the board shall be supe¬ 
rior in rank to the officer whose qualifications are to be inquired into: Pro¬ 
vided further, That if the report of such a board is adverse to the continuance 
of any officer, and the report be approved by the general commanding the field 
army to which the division or brigade belongs, such officer shall be discharged 
from service in the volunteer forces with one month’s pay and allowances. 

Sec. 18. That all laws or parts of laws inconsistent with the provisions of 
this act are, to the extent of such inconsistency only, hereby repealed. 

STATEMENT OF BRIG, GEN. WILLIAM W. WOTHERSPOON, 
PRESIDENT OF THE ARMY WAR COLLEGE. 

The Chairman. General, this is a subcommittee of the Military 
Committee which has been appointed to consider the bill S. 2518, 
and we have asked you to come before us to-day, and we will be 
pleased to have your views in regard to this bill. 

Senator Foster. May I make a suggestion, Mr. Chairman? 

The Chairman. Yes, certainly. 

Senator Foster. General, I wish you would take the bill up and 
discuss it first in its general features, and then in detail. 

The Chairman. That is a very good idea. 

Gen. Wotherspoon. I would like to say to the committee that I 
approach this matter from the standpoint of the head of the War 
College division of the General Staff, which is charged with the 
making of plans looking to the passage of the country from a state 
of peace to a state of war. In preparing those plans we are now 
fully guided by legislative action in regard to the Regular Army and 
the militia, but the act of 1898, and the subsequent kindred acts 
in regard to the calling out of volunteers, we find very defective; 
so defective, in fact, that we are unable to complete the plans in 
workable shape so that the enrollment, enlistment, and organization 
of the volunteer forces of the country can be rapidly and intelligently 
done. 

We think that additional legislation would be necessary at the 
beginning of a war in order to make clear the intentions of the Gov¬ 
ernment in calling out and putting these forces into shape for war 
purposes. Therefore in our preparation of plans for passing from a 
state of peace to a state of war, we are well prepared so far as plans 
for the Regular Army are concerned and fairly well prepared so far 
as the militia is concerned, but we can not make workable plans so 
far as the volunteer forces which may be called out are concerned. 
I have been deeply concerned in the preparation of this act for the 
last six years, and whilst it did not originate in my office, the various 
bills to carry into effect the provisions of the present bill have been 
submitted to my office from time to time, and we have made various 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


7 

suggestions. Since the bill introduced by Senator Warren, I think, 
there have been a number of very important, almost vital, modifica¬ 
tions made in it, which in my opinion greatly improve the bill. 

Senator Briggs. You mean this present bill. 

Gen. Wotherspoon. The present bill. 

The Chairman. The facts are that Senator Warren introduced the 
bill as it was sent down from the War Department, and then, upon 
reconsideration, the War Department decided to make a great many 
changes; so many, in fact, that the only way to do was to introduce 
an entirely new bill, which T did, because there were 30 or 40 changes 
to be made. 

Gen. Wotherspoon. This is decidedly the best bill I have ever 
seen drafted for this purpose and, so far as I can see, meets every 
requirement of the Government that can be anticipated. 

Senator Briggs. The object of this bill, then, is really to outline 
a program which can be used at the time of war, and you want this 
program outlined so that other preliminary work that has to be done 
can proceed along that line? 

Gen. Wotherspoon. In other words, with this bill we can prepare, 
even down to the Orders necessary to carry its provisions into effect. 
We can designate the recruiting rendezvous, we can designate the 
depots of supplies, where those supplies shall come from, from the 
major depots, the great camps of rendezvous, the regimental depots 
and recruiting stations, and have all that work done before war is 
imminent. 

Senator Foster. General, did you not have that authority before? 

Gen. Wotherspoon. We had that authority; that is a part of our 
business, but we found that it was almost impossible under the bill 
of 1898, because that bill provided no specific arrangements for the 
staff corps. We could call out regiments, and organize them into 
brigades, but the staff necessary to operate the higher units and lines 
of communication in the field was not specific. It was inferable, but 
there was a question. 

Senator Foster. Under the old law, did you not have the power to 
designate encampments and recruiting offices and storage places? 

Gen. Wotherspoon. Yes, sir; we could do that. 

Senator Foster. Wherein does this law differ from that, in those 
particulars ? 

Gen. Wotherspoon. Principally in being more definite in regard to 
the staff that would go with those various organizations. 

Senator Foster. Will you please explain that? What is the dif¬ 
ference in the staff requirements? 

Gen. Wotherspoon. There was no provision for the appointment 
of necessary commissaries, quartermasters, or adjutant generals. 
They were inferred, but not distinctly laid down in the act. This 
bill provides for the appointment of those staff officers in proportion 
to the organizations that xvill be created. 

Senator Briggs. Suppose you take the provisions in the bill and 
call our attention to them, General? 

Senator Foster. General, will you give us the difference between 
the militia and the volunteer forces, just as a matter of record? I 
heard you speak of the difference between the militia and the volun¬ 
teer forces. 


8 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


Gen. Wotherspoon. Under the law, immediately after the Regu¬ 
lar Army is called out, the War Department or the Executive must 
call out the militia, by organizations. That must be done before 
volunteers are raised or created. Under existing law there is some 
doubt as to the process by which the militia organizations, called 
into the service at peace strength, would be augmented to war 
strength. That is not provided for in existing regulations. The 
militia would be called out and there is no scheme in the law for 
recruiting its organizations up to war strength and keeping them 
full during the war. This bill provides for that. The governors can 
use the recruiting depots established by the United States for the re¬ 
cruitment of the militia organizations of their States. 

The Chairman. Or the Regular Army? 

Gen. Wotherspoon. And the Regular Army, to recruit for the 
militia organizations as well as for the Regular Army and the volun¬ 
teers. If we went to Avar now, and called out our military forces, 
the first thing to be called out after the Regular Army would be the 
militia. The next would be the volunteers. Through the exigencies 
of the service, the number of men and officers in the militia Avould at 
once begin to decrease. There is no specific provision of law for the 
recruitment of those militia organizations. 

Senator Briggs. Where is that in this law? 

The Chairman. You understand, gentlemen, that Congress would 
decide how many of the volunteers Avere to be called out. It might 
be 10,000 or 50,000 or 100,000, as Congress saAv fit. 

Gen. Wotherspoon. If Congress called out the volunteers you 
would have a force being built up, and it seems to me as if the 
process would be the creation of a volunteer force largely by the 
disintegration of the militia forces. The militia officers, as their 
organizations decreased in numbers, would very naturally attempt to 
get into the volunteers. 

Senator Briggs. You Avould have the same condition as there Avas 
during the Civil War, Avhere you started out with the regiments, 
which were merely skeletons after one or tAvo battles, and instead of 
filling those regiments up they would go and raise another regiment 
and start that out, with its colonel and lieutenant colonel and all 
the other officers, and they Avould go into battle and lose half of their 
men; and so it would go. 

The Chairman. In other words, you Avould find a multiplication 
of colonels and lieutenant colonels and majors, and so on, out of 
proportion to the number of enlisted men. 

Senator Briggs. Yes; so that Ave had presented the condition later 
in the Civil War where a regiment fell off so much in numbers—I 
do not know what the figure was—that they could not promote a 
man to the rank of colonel unless the regiment had so many men in it. 

The Chairman. That is right. 

Senator Briggs. I kneAv one man, in the service with me, Avho Avas 
a major, and he Avas the senior officer in his regiment, and if the 
regiment had been filled up they could have made him a colonel. 
He told me about going home to Wisconsin and trying to get that 
regiment filled up. It Avas better that Avay than to raise a new regi¬ 
ment, because they had this nucleus of experienced men and ex¬ 
perienced officers. 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


9 


Where is the provision in this bill as to recruiting? Is it in sec¬ 
tion 10? 

The Chairman. The object of this bill is simply to provide an 
organization, so that when Congress does call out volunteers they 
>vill be called out as the bill provides. This bill does not appropriate 
anything. 

Senator Clarke. Is this the same as the Hav bill in the House? 

Gen. Wotherspoon. No, sir; it is entirely different. It has noth¬ 
ing to do with the Ilay bill. The Hay bill deals with the Regular 
Army as it is to-day. This bill is entirely in relation to the volunteers. 

Senator . I his gives a plan to work to in time when we 

have war or war is imminent, if Congress decides to call out volun¬ 
teers. Heretofore that has all been done in great haste and very 
crudely. At the time of the Spanish War Congress passed a bill and 
had to amend it five or six times because it was not workable. 

Gen. Wotherspoon. It says here in the latter part of section 13: 

Provided, That to maintain the National Guard organizations in the service of 
the United States at their maximum strength the recruiting rendezvous and 
depots in any State or Territory may, at the request of the governor thereof, 
enlist and train recruits for the National Guard organizations in the service of 
the United States from that State. 

That is a new provision of law and a very valuable one. 

Senator Clarke. It has nothing to do with this bill, General, but 
is it the law now that the militia organizations of the several States, 
upon the call of the President, are mobilized as a part of the national 
defense ? 

Gen. Wotherspoon. Yes. 

Senator Clarke. Without any further legislation and without any 
option upon their part to serve or not ? 

The Chairman. That is the law under the Dick bill. 

Senator Clarke. That is the obligation that they assume under the 
State law as militia organizations? 

Senator Briggs. That is the obligation thev assume under the Dick 
bill. 

The Chairman. They have to serve. If they are called out, they 
receive the pay. 

Senator Briggs. Yes; but as I understand the Dick law, if a State 
had declined to accept the provisions of the law and had not accepted 
any appropriations they would have been entirely independent. But 
they did accept the appropriation. 

The Chairman. Yes; they did accept it. 

Senator Clarke. I remember they organized a force in the Span¬ 
ish-American War, and the militia of our State did not have any¬ 
thing to do with it. 

Gen. Wotherspoon. They disorganized the militia immediately 
by refusing to take them as organizations. The militia wanted to 
go as organizations from your State, but the War Department said, 
“No: you must come as volunteers.” They disorganized the militia 
to a degree, and the organizations lost their State affiliations. 

Senator Clarke. The militia officers, as a general rule, are not 
persons of any very great military prowess, and I do not know that 
it is a very good idea to take them as they organize themselves. 

Senator Briggs. Under the present law there is supervision that 
is improving the National Guard in my State. 



10 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


Gen. Wotherspoox. It is vastly improved. 

The Chairman. As I understand, the President is not bound to 
call out all the Organized Militia. He can call out few or many, as 
he thinks proper ? 

Gen. Wotherspoox. Under the decision of the Supreme Court, 
resulting from the refusal of Connecticut and Massachusetts in the 
War of 1812 to turn out any of the militia, the President can call 
out a company or a regiment, or any individual, as I understand. 
He can call out a part, or the whole, and our plans at the War Col¬ 
lege are based upon that. For instance, in this Mexican situation, 
it was thought that it might be necessary to call out the militia of 
the United States to maintain neutralitj^ on our borders, and it was 
suggested that the call should be made upon those States nearest 
to the border and most affected by the revolutionary activity down 
there. I think that would be better for the United States and more 
in accord with State desires. 

Senator Foster. General, in the organization of this force wherein 
does this law differ from the present law in its details ? 

Gen. Wotherspoox. Mainly in creating United States Volunteers 
instead of State Volunteers. Under the old law the Congress could 
authorize the calling out of volunteers, and the President would 
apportion the number called among the different States, and the 
governors would organize these troops and officer them. 

Senator Foster. That is what I was coming to. 

Gen. Wotherspoox. Appoint the officers. 

Senator Foster. Yes. Under this law that is changed? 

Gen. Wotherspoox. Yes; under this law that is changed. 

Senator Foster. And instead of the governor officering the Volun¬ 
teers, the President does it ? 

Gen. Wotherspoox. They are officered by the President. 

Senator Foster. Is not that one of the radical changes? 

Gen. Wotherspoox. That is one of the most radical changes. 
The governor still has the appointment of all officers connected with 
the militia of his State even after it is called into the service of the 
United States. 

The Chairman. Formerly the militia was to a large extent a mere 
paper organization, but now the Organized Militia or National 
Guard has great value. 

Senator Foster. It is a serious organization now. 

Gen. Wotherspoox. Of course we recognize certain deficiencies of 
the militia which they are not yet ready to recognize. 

Senator Foster. What commends that change to you in the manner 
of selecting and appointing the officers of this volunteer force con¬ 
templated in this bill, giving the power to the President instead of to 
the governor to appoint officers? 

Gen. Wotherspoox. It avoids the influence of local politics in the 
States, looking to the appointment of men, which resulted, I should 
say, in past wars in the appointment of men to command bodies of 
troops who absolutely lacked any training for or experience in war, 
with the result that frequently men of local influence, without any 
previous military training whatsoever, were put in charge of the lives 
of men equally ignorant, but no more ignorant than officers were, of 
military affairs. 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


11 


Senator Lostek. Is there any provision in this bill providing for 
the qualification of the officers to be appointed by the President, or 
that they should have had any previous military training, or any¬ 
thing of that kind ? 

(Ten. otherspoon. It provides how the preferences in such ap¬ 
pointments shall be given in the selection of officers. 

Senator Foster. What section is that in? 

1 he Chairman. That is in section 6, at the top of page 3. It reads: 

And the Secretary of War shall prescribe such rules and regulations, not 
inconsistent with the terms of this act, as may be necessary for the purpose of 
examining, organizing, and receiving into the service the men called for. 

Senator Foster (reading) : 

Provided, That the power to organize shall include the power to provide the 
officers and enlisted men of all grades and classes, including trained nurses, male 
and female, that may be necessary in the various arms, corps, and departments. 

Senator Briggs. Section 10 reads: 


That in appointing originally the volunteer officers authorized in this act. and 
in all subsequent promotions and appointments of volunteer officers, the Presi¬ 
dent may select them from the Regular Army, from the Organized Militia of 
the District of Columbia, and, upon the recommendation of the various gover¬ 
nors, from the Organized Militia of the several States and Territories, and from 
the country at large: Provided . That in appointments from the country at large 
preference shall be given those who have had honorable service in the Regular 
Army, the National Guard, or the volunteer forces, or who have been graduated 
from educational institutions in which military instruction is compulsory, and 
to those duly qualified and registered pursuant to section twenty-three of the 
act approved January twenty-first, nineteen hundred and three: Provided fur¬ 
ther, That not to exceed two Regular Army officers shall hold volunteer com¬ 
missions in any one battalion of volunteer engineers or signal troops at the 
same time; and not to exceed two Regular Army officers shall hold volunteer 
commissions in any one battalion of volunteer field artillery at the same time; 
and not to exceed four Regular Army officers shall hold commissions in any 
one regiment of volunteer cavalry, field artillery, or infantry, or in every twelve 
companies of coast artillery, including their field and staff, at the same time: 
And provided further. That Regular Army officers appointed as officers of Volun¬ 
teers under this act shall not thereby vacate their Regular Army commissions 
or be prejudiced in their relative or lineal standing. 

The Chairman. General, you were speaking just now of the objec¬ 
tions to raising the volunteer troops under the old system. Is it not 
a fact that the companies were, as a rule, organized in the same local¬ 
ity, in the same town, and that the officers of the companies were on 
terms of more or less personal intimacy with their men, thereby mak¬ 
ing it much more difficult for them to enforce discipline? 

Gen. Wotherspoon. Surely, sir. 

The Chairman. And if they did attempt to enforce discipline, 
then they were often subjected to the criticism of the men, and their 
families at home, which made their task very much more difficult ? 

Gen. Wotherspoon. Very seriously, sir. As a rule, the officer was 
the most popular man with the group of men he enlisted. Then they 
elected him a captain or a lieutenant, and if lie did not maintain 
touch with them and accede to their various desires he was liable to 
be disobeyed, and he lacked control of the men. 

Senator Briggs. And he was denounced in the newspapers at home. 

Gen. Wotherspoon. Always, as a tyrant and a villain. 

Senator Clarke. The Civil War was fought upon the proposition 
of the election of the officers by the men, and I believe the world 


12 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


credits them with making something of a fight. It is not always 
a bad thing to have a man who is popular with the people slated 
as an officer, because it encourages enlistments. But I recognize 
the fact that the world has moved up a little. 

Senator Briggs. In the Spanish-American War the State executive 
appointed the officers. It is not possible for us to consider this, but 
I think it has some bearing. You raise a regiment from one section; 
the captain will go in and raise a company in one town, and you get 
your regiment from a county, possibly, or one city. Then let that 
regiment go in battle and lose half of those men, and the loss to that 
community is terrible. 

Senator Clarke. The loss would be the same if the President 
appointed them as if they were appointed by the governor, would 
it not? 

Senator Briggs. Xo; I do not speak of that. Under this system 
your recruits would not be so apt to come from one locality. For 
instance, if you were made a captain, or were told you would be made 
a captain if you raised the men, you would go to one place, probably, 
to raise them. 

Senator Clarke. Yes; that is true. 

Senator Briggs. And if, when you got in battle, half of those men 
were killed, the loss would fall all on one community. 

The Chairman. General, I would like to ask you whether this is 
not a fact, that this proposed change is not an experiment, but that it 
has been practically put in operation in the last volunteer regiments 
that were raised for the Philippine service? 

Gen. Wotherspoon. Yes, sir; I can speak with positive knowledge 
as to that. Those regiments that were raised in the latter part of the 
Spanish War for duty in the Philippines, known as volunteer regi¬ 
ments, were enlisted from the country at large, and they had just the 
proportion of officers—four officers to the regiment—of the Regular 
Army that are provided for in this act. The result was that within 
from three to four months they were equal, in my opinion, to the 
regular troops. The field officers and officers of the regular service 
set a good example, as to discipline, to their men; the officers were 
appointed not by the men but by the United States, and the rapidity 
with which they became efficient was really the wonder of the officers 
in the Philippines. 

Senator Clarke. That is all right, when you need a limited number 
of men and have more voluntary enlistments than the levy requires; 
but where there is a considerable army to be mobilized, the effect of 
the personal popularity of the local officer has a great deal to do with 
the enlistments. If the neighborhood boys think they are to be 
scattered around through a large army, so that they would never 
meet one another, and would not know any of their officers, and would 
be subject to the strictest military discipline at the outset, it might 
have something to do with the enlistment in case of an emergency. 
Of course, if you only want a few regiments, you can pick up enough 
unattached men. 

The Chairman. It must be considered that we have now 100,000,- 
000 people to draw from, and at the time of the Civil War we had 
only 50,000,000 to 60,000,000. 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


13 


Senator Clarke. 1 es; and yon have the utmost difficulty in get¬ 
ting up 50,000 for the Regular Army. I think you are pretty well 
scouring the country for them. 

Gen. Wotherspoon. We are having great difficulty: yes, sir. 

Senator Foster. Let me submit a question to you, to see if I under¬ 
stand the provisions of the bill. Suppose the President should issue 
a proclamation calling for volunteers? 

The Chairman. That would have to be done pursuant to an act of 
Congress. 

Senator Foster. Of course, that would have to be done in accord¬ 
ance with law. Suppose in my little town down there a company was 
raised, and they followed all the requirements of law as to the num¬ 
ber of men, and they should select their captain and first lieutenant 
and second lieutenant: their selection would be of no avail at all. 
The President would appoint first and second lieutenants and a cap¬ 
tain to that company. Is that the practical operation of the law? 

Senator Briggs. He would have the right to do it; but practically, 
probably, he would not do it. 

Senator Foster. 1 am just asking if that is the practical effect of 
this bill. 

Gen. Wotherspoon. Yes, sir; the officers elected by the men would 
not necessarily be commissioned by the President. They might be, 
but would not necessarily be. 

Senator Briggs. But they probably would be. 

Senator Foster. I think that would be a strongly persuasive argu¬ 
ment for him to appoint them; but he is to use his* own discretion to 
appoint. 

The Chairman. He would probably require an examination as to 
efficiency, would he not? 

Gen. Wotherspoon. There is already a very long list on file in 
the War Department, under the act referred to in this bill, where 
officers of the National Guard and enlisted men of the Regular Army 
are allowed to take the examinations annually to qualify them for 
positions in the Volunteers, in case they are called out. That is a 
special list; they are all men of military experience. They would 
probably be the first selections for commission in the Volunteers 
after those selected from the militia, because they have qualified in 
an examination. They come from all over the country. 

Senator Foster. I can see a good deal of force in probably the 
majors and colonel of the regiment being appointed by the President, 
but it looks to me like you would get better service and more satis¬ 
factory service, and readier enlistment, if the men knew that they 
were going to be in charge and under the control of their friends. 

Senator Briggs. Of course, that is just at the start. Afterwards 
the rules of promotion apply. 

Senator Foster. Yes; I understand. 

The Chairman. Can not the salient advantages of this feature of 
the bill be summed up in two words, economy and efficiency ? 

Gen. Wotherspoon. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. It is economical because nobody would be accepted 
who is not physically a sound man; and it is inconceivable that the 
Secretary of War would not have the proper physical examinations 
made; whereas in the States a great many would probably be passed 


14 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


in a perfunctory way. Consequently the men who have passed a 
strict physical examination are not so likely to break down, and the 
pension roll would not be filled with a lot of people that never ought 
to have been taken into the service at all. 

Gen. Wotherspoon. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. And in the second place, as you have pointed out 
already, the superior instruction and discipline make them in a short 
time far superior to the regiments organized locally by State 
authority. 

Gen. Wotherspoon. That is to be considered in connection with 
the very important thing, that we are not going to be given all the 
time we need to create an army. The other fellow is going to be after 
us without delay. 

The Chairman. Immediately, under the new conditions. 

Gen. Wotherspoon. Yes. We must look to a rapid creation of the 
Army. The hanging back in the organization of our forces for three 
or four months would probably mean defeat. 

Senator Briggs. Of course I see the strength of that point. It is 
not likely we will ever have a fight among the States, and the people 
we are going to fight will be people who have compulsory service and 
a standing army, and a reserve thoroughly trained, with all the details 
worked out, so that, as Gen. Wotherspoon says, we are not going to 
have time. Now, take our troops during the rebellion; 1 do not 
suppose there were ever better troops in the Avorld, but it was a 
gradual and costly training. 

The Chairman. It took a long time to get them into condition. 

Senator Briggs. And that we would not be allowed in any fight 
with big foreign countries. 

Senator Clarke. I catch the General’s idea. He wants to supple¬ 
ment the standing Army with another national organization equipped 
without reference to local lines and local influences. That is a very 
good idea, and I have no objection to that. I have often thought 
that the attempt to mobilize and put into fighting array the militia 
as they were formerly organized would be a burlesque. 

Gen. Wotherspoon. Having the officers appointed by the Presi¬ 
dent would make the local organizations and regiments more cautious 
as to the character of men that they would choose or select. In other 
words, they would not probably take a saloon keeper, because he con¬ 
trolled a certain amount of political influence, and make him a 
colonel, with a very distinct idea that his nomination would be 
disapproved by the President. 

The Chairman. Now, gentlemen, we have discussed the bill gen¬ 
erally. Would it not be well to proceed on the suggestion made by 
Senator Foster and take up the bill by sections and discuss it as we 
go along? 

Senator Foster. Showing where it differs from the present law r . 

Gen. Wotherspoon. In section 1 there is no material change from 
existing law, except in regard to physical condition. It says, ■ • who 
are of sound body and mind.” 

The Chairman. “ Of sound body and mind.” 

Gen. Wotherspoon. It is briefer than the old form. 

In section 2 it more clearly defines what the armed forces of the 
United States are than was done in the act of 1898. 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


15 


Senator Foster. The act of 1898 included the Regular Army and 
the National Guard, did it? 

Gen. V otherspoon. Yes; the militia coming in as Volunteers. 

The Chairman. V ith the proviso that in time of war the Regular 
Army and the National Guard might be augmented bv a volunteer 
force. 

Senator Foster. This provides that it shall consist of the Regular 
Army and of the National Guard. 

Gen. A\ otherspoon. It is the same in principle, in a little briefer 
form, but now the National Guard must be called out in advance 
of the Volunteers. 

Senator Foster. Yes. 

Gen. Wotherspoon. And adding the words that were not in the 
other act, “ or when war is imminent.” In other words, it gives‘you 
an opportunity to raise your volunteers before the first act of war. 

The Chairman. Before a declaration. 

Gen. Wotherspoon. It leaves to Congress and the President the 
decision as to when it is necessary to raise these volunteer troops. 

In section 3 there is no change, except there is the change from the 
words “ according to law ” to the words “ under the provisions of 
law.” 

Senator Foster. General, does it not make this change? The old 
law provided— 

That the organized and active land forces of the United States shall consist 
of the Army of the United States and of the militia of the several States when 
called into the service of the United States. 

Now, this law makes the militia a part of the Regular Army any¬ 
way, does it not ? 

Senator Briggs. Section -1 seems to be a section which you might 
say is almost explanatory of or supplementary to section 2. It sub¬ 
stitutes the National Guard for the militia of the several States; and 
then section 4 says: 

Sec. 4. That the National Guard is the Organized Militia of the several States 
and Territories and District of Columbia, organized as a land force and subject 
to be called into the service of the United States. 

That is merely a definition of what the National Guard is. 

Senator Foster. And the old law only made the National Guard, 
or the militia, a part of the Regular Army when called into the 
service. Is not that the difference? 

Gen. Wotherspoon. Yes; a part of the land forces. 

Senator Briggs. It is really the same thing, but the National 
Guard was the militia at that time. That was prior to the passage 
of the Dick law, and there was no National Guard in the sense that 
there is now. 

Gen. Wotherspoon. I think there was also an idea of more clearly 
defining the difference between the National Guard and the militia. 
Under the Constitution the militia is everybody liable to military 
service. 

Senator Briggs. Yes. 

Gen. Wotherspoon. But now it means that when a certain por¬ 
tion of the militia is organized into the National Guard, then it is to 
be subject to the call. Section 5 more clearly defines what the volun¬ 
teer forces are than was done in the act of 1898 and authorizes the 


16 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


President to raise such a force. The old act says that the President 
is authorized to raise such a force or call into the active service of the 
United States the militia of the several States. 

The Chairman. General, is it not within the bounds of reason and 
of possibility that in case of a minor, or of an unimportant war, the 
Volunteer Army might not be called out at all, and that the Regular 
Army and the Organized Militia would be sufficient? 

Gen. Wotherspoon. I am very strongly of opinion that it would 
be a mistake to call out volunteers until we saw that the resources of 
the Regular Army and the National Guard were going to be inade¬ 
quate or exhausted. Take, for instance, the Infantry of the country 
as it is now; we have enough Infantry regimental organizations cre¬ 
ated in the States and in the Regular Army to make practically 22 
divisions, all officered, or nearly completely officered; some of them 
are short a company or so. If those organizations were filled to war 
strength they would make an army, with the addition of the auxili¬ 
ary arms, of approximately 432,000 fighting men, and might be 
organized into 22 divisions. 

The Chairman. Without the volunteers? 

Gen. Wotherspoon. Without any volunteers. There might, how¬ 
ever, be a necessity to call for volunteer cavalry, because there are 
very few organizations of that class of troops in the militia, also vol¬ 
unteer organizations of field artillery, sanitary troops, signal-corps 
troops, and engineers. So far as the Infantry is concerned, there is 
a large number of regimental organizations, with their colonels and 
their company officers, but there is a serious and striking deficiency 
in men. If they could be recruited up and kept whilst serving in 
the field at a standard of war strength, the number would, in almost 
any conceivable case that occurs to me, be a sufficient military force 
for the United States to meet any but extraordinary situations. It 
would have to be supplemented, as I have said, by the creation of 
volunteer organizations of cavalry, field artillery, sanitary, signal 
troops, etc. 

Senator Briggs. The National Guard is not well balanced, then? 

Gen. Wotherspoon. It is about as well balanced as the Regular 
Army. 

Senator Briggs. It is? 

Gen. Wotherspoon. The Regular Army is very badly balanced. 

The Chairman. Very badly; in Field Artillery particularly there 
is a deficiency. There is a very bad condition of a Hairs. We have 
not got enough Coast Artillery to man our fortifications, and the 
Field Artillery is absolutely deficient. 

Gen. Wotherspoon. Yes, sir. Returning to the discussion of the 
bill by sections, on page 7, section 5, a very important change in the 
paragraph is that which refers to the period of enlistment. Under 
section 5, as now drawn, there is no question about when the men 
shall be discharged. There was serious question in the Spanish War, 
and there was a great deal of confusion, and I think a very consider¬ 
able expense was incurred by the Government, due to the indefinite¬ 
ness in the law of 1898. Section 6 is more brief than it was in the 
law of 1898. It crystallizes the matter, and it includes the very 
important proviso: 

Provided , That the power to organize shall include the power to provide the 
officers and enlisted men of all grades and classes. 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


17 


^ on notice there that it includes also trained nurses’. It continues 
with a provision as to the apportionment of these volunteers from 
the various areas of the country,’ which would make it a matter to be 
decided upon by the President where he would get these volunteers. 
They must be in proportion to the population of the various States. 

Senator Foster. It is provided that the volunteers shall come in 
proportion to the population. 

Gen. otherspoon. That would come in another place. It always 
has been provided that they shall be taken in proportion to the popu¬ 
lation of the various States and Territories. It is a little more clearly 
stated here. 

I he Chairman. That is not new. but it is more clearlv and suc¬ 
cinctly stated. 

Gen. Wotherspoon. And it is put in the proper place in the act. 

The Chairman. Section 7 is entirely new as to the organization of 
coast defenses and machine-gun detachments. 

Gen. Wotherspoon. All of those are necessary as auxiliaries. 

The Chairman. There was before no specific power, and there was 
a question as to what could be done. 

Gen. Wotherspoon. That section also makes a very important 
provision in regard to remount depots, military trains and train serv¬ 
ice, secret service agencies, military prisons, lines of communication, 
and so forth. All of those are very important and necessary to the 
operation of an army, but were not clearly provided for in the act of 
1898. They had to be inferred, and the question of legality was a 
serious handicap upon the War Department. 

Section 8 is one of the most important sections of the bill. It pro¬ 
vides automatically for the appointment of the appropriate officers 
for the organizations created. It avoids the question of making a 
number of officers appropriate to a certain number of enlisted men, 
which might lead to abuse. In one of the bills proposed at one time 
there was a brigadier general to every 5,000 men, and a major general 
to every 15,000 or 20,000 men. You might create that body of 5,000 
men and then disintegrate it again, and there you would have a sur¬ 
plus brigadier general on your hands, and the same applied to a 
major general; anyone who recollects the Civil War remembers that 
there were a great many of those surplus officers. 

Section 9 definitely and clearly provides for the appropriate staff 
officers and staff corps and departments for the Army created. The 
important feature of that is that the number of those staff officers and 
staff corps must be appropriate to the size of the Army which is 
created. 

Senator Briggs. There is a limitation there. 

Gen. Wotherspoon. I think it has been suggested by the chair¬ 
man that we might want to use a portion only of our forces. Under 
the old act they could be created. 

The Chairman. In any number; an unlimited number. 

Gen. Wotherspoon. Yes. This brings it down to a proper 
proportion. 

Senator Briggs. You have a limitation there: 

Provided That the total number of such officers so appointed shall not exceed 
the ratio of one officer to two hundred enlisted men for all National Guard and 
volunteer forces called into the service of the United States. 

16247—vol army—11-2 


18 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


Gen. Wotherspoon. Yes; that was necessarily put in there. 
Section 10 is a decided improvement over the provisions of the act 
of 1898. 

The Chairman. I think the bill is too liberal with respect to 
detailing regular officers. It says, “not to exceed two Regular Army 
officers shall hold voluntary commissions in any one battalion of 
volunteer engineers or signal troops at the same time,” and there 
is a similar provision with regard to the assignment of regular 
officers to the Artillery, the Cavalry, and the Infantry. You would 
have the whole Regular Army detailed in the volunteer force if you 
were not careful. 

Gen. Wotherspoon. Yes; so far as some of those corps are 
concerned. 

The Chairman. It ought to be cut down to one to a battalion, I 
should think. 

Gen. Wotherspoon. One would be sufficient for anything below 
a regiment. We should guard against too great a depletion of officers 
in the Regular Army. 

The Chairman. Yes; I think so. 

Gen. Wotherspoon . But it is very important that authority for 
the assignment of four to a regiment should remain; that means a 
colonel, one major, and two supply officers; it may mean two field 
officers, an adjutant, and one supply officer. Those administrative 
officers are the ones that it is important we should provide for. I 
am rather inclined to think that two regular officers to each separate 
volunteer battalion is excessive; that might strip the Regular Army 
of more officers than it ought to be stripped of. 

Section 11 is a very important addition to the existing law, in that 
it fills vacancies as they occur in the lists. 

The Chairman. In the lists of officers of the Regular Army? 

Gen. Wotherspoon. Yes; this provides that the commissioned 
forces shall not be depleted. 

The Chairman. In other words, if you detail a large percentage 
of regular officers with the volunteer forces the machinery is here to 
supply their temporary absence, particularly in the junior grades? 

Gen. Wotherspoon. Yes. 

The Chairman. What have you to say as to section 12? 

Gen. Wotherspoon. There is very little difference in that section, 
except that it more clearly defines the keeping of the records. 

The Chairman. In section 13 there is only one point about which 
I would like to ask the General, and I assume that the section is 
broad enough to cover this case. Suppose that there are no volun¬ 
teers called out, that we undertake to meet the emergency by the use 
of the Regular Army and the Organized Militia; does this extend the 
use of the recruiting depots of the Regular Army to the Organized 
Militia ? 

Gen. Wotherspoon. Yes, sir. 

The Chairman. They can be recruited at the regular recruiting 
depots ? 

Gen Wotherspoon. Yes, sir; they can on the request of the gov¬ 
ernors be recruited at the regular recruiting depots. 

The Chairman. That covers that case, in case no volunteers should 
be raised ? 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


19 


Gen. Wotherspoon. Yes; it provides that regular recruit depots 
may take the place of militia recruit depots and would make avail¬ 
able for that purpose all the regular officers on recruiting duty. 

The Chairman. It is very clear that if there were colunteers there 
would be volunteer depots; but if the Volunteers were not called out, 
the regular depots could be used for the militia ? 

Gen. Wotherspoon. It provides for the recruiting of the militia 
as well as the Regular Army. 

The Chairman. I think we have been over the bill. Does any 
Senator desire to ask the General any further questions? 

We are very much obliged to you, General, for coming before us 
and for the information which you have given us. 

(At 1.15 o’clock p. m. the subcommittee adjourned.) 


WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14, 1911. 

United States Senate, 
Committee on Military Affairs. 

The subcommittee met at 11 o’clock a. m. 

Present: Senator du Pont (chairman) and Senators Warren, 
Briggs, and Foster, of the subcommittee. 

Present also, Senator Bristow. 

STATEMENT OF MAJ. GEN. LEONARD WOOD, UNITED STATES 

ARMY, CHIEF OF THE GENERAL STAFF CORPS, ACCOMPANIED 

BY MAJ. JOHNSON HAGOOD, OF THE GENERAL STAFF. 

The Chairman. General, this is a subcommittee of the Committee 
on Military Affairs, which is considering the volunteer army bill, and 
we would be very glad to have your views regarding the bill. 

Senator Warren. General, T want to ask you about the use of the 
terms “National Guard” and “Organized Militia.” 

Gen. Wood. The National Guard, I think, or the militia, are all 
rather in favor of the term “ National Guard.” 

Senator Warren. And yet the official title or designation is the 
“ Organized Militia ” ? 

Gen. Wood. Yes; but I have noticed that they often speak of 
themselves as the National Guard. * 

Senator Warren. You think we should always use the same term? 

Gen. Wood. Yes. 

The Chairman. Which do you think is preferable? 

Gen. Wood. As the law now stands, we use the term “ Organized 
Militia,” but, as Maj. Hagood says, this bill changes the designation. 

Senator Briggs. The National Guard ceases to be the militia, then. 

Gen. Wood. Yes; and becomes the National Guard. 

Senator Warren. May I read to you from the law ? Section 1 of 
the act approved May 2T, 1908 (85 Stat., pt. 1, p. 399), says: 

That the militia shall consist of every able-bodied male citizen of the respec¬ 
tive States, Territories, and the District of Columbia. 

Gen. Wood. A Territory or the District of Columbia, yes; and in 
other laws they have used the term “National Guard” here and 
there, and “ Organized Militia ” here and there. 



20 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


Senator Warren. It seemed to me this would be a good time to 
consider which term was proper to be used. They use both terms 
here. 

The Chairman. We have got to decide which term we Avill use in 
the bill. 

Gen. Wood. Section 4 of this bill has the language: 

Sec. 4. That the National Guard is the Organized Militia of the several States 
and Territories and the District of Columbia. 

Probably it would be better to stick to the term “ National Guard,” 
as that is growing in favor among the men. 

Senator Foster. This says that the National Guard is the Or¬ 
ganized Militia. 

Senator Briggs (reading) : 

Organized as a land force and subject to be called into the service of the 
United States. 

Senator Foster. Yes. 

The Chairman. Before you begin your testimony I would like to 
ask you a question, General. Section 11 provides for the filling of 
vacancies and promotions in the Regular Army caused by the ap¬ 
pointment of the officers of the Regular Army to higher rank in the 
Volunteer Army, these promotions to be under the act of February 
2, 1901. The section also provides that vacancies at the bottom in 
the Regular Army may be filled by appointment, these appointments 
to be temporarily commissioned. Should the promotions under 
section 11 be likewise temporary, or should they not? It does not 
seem to me that is quite clear. 

Senator Briggs. That, as I understand, simply provides for pro* 
motion in the Regular Army, does it not? If a man has been made 
a colonel in the volunteer force, he is commissioned, and you can 
promote a man to his place or you can fill it temporarily. 

The Chairman. It means temporarily, does it, in both cases? 

Senator Briggs. No; the man would go up in the course of time 
anyhow. 

The Chairman. They are not temporary throughout ? 

Gen. Wood. The objection to that section as it now stands is that 
you would have a good many unabsorbed officers when the war was 
over. 

The Chairman. That is what I thought, and we ought to consider 
that question. 

Gen. Wood. If we have a volunteer army with a very large num¬ 
ber of vacancies caused by the detail of regular officers to volunteer or¬ 
ganizations. we would have a large additional list at the end of the war. 

Senator Briggs. As I understand, those are temporary. To go 
back to the illustration I used, if you appoint a man a colonel of a 
volunteer regiment, and he is a captain or a major, his place in the 
Regular Army can be filled by a temporary appointment, and that 
man is discharged at the expiration of the war. 

The Chairman. I do not think so. 

Senator Warren. You would not destroy the commission of a 
regularly commissioned officer of the Army? 

Senator Briggs. You do not give him a regular commission. The 
proviso of section 11 reads: 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


21 


*'n° V t led i Th i lt v * c * n ? es remaining thereafter at the bottom of the arm, 
corps, oi department lists may be filled temporarily, by and with the advice 

the ? e . n!,te ’ b - v the appointment of office?* of *uch number and 
grade as shall maintain each arm, corps, and department at its full authorized 
commissioned strength. The officers thus appointed shall hold temporary 
commissions, to continue in force only until the conclusion of hostilities or the 
passing of the emergency. 


Senator Warren. They are as a part of the Volunteer Army? 
Senator Briggs. No; they are a part of the Regular Army. 
Senator Warren. There is no law for having temporary officers 
m the Regular Army. 

The Chairman. If you will permit me to read section 27 of this 
act referred to (31 Stat., p. 755), I think that will explain. Section 
27 reads: 


Sec. 27. That each position vacated by officers of the line, transferred to 
any department of the staff for tours of service under this act, shall be filled 
by promotion in the line until the total number detailed equals the number 
authorized for duty in each staff department. Thereafter vacancies caused by 
details from the line to the staff shall be filled by officers returning from tours 
of staff duty. If under the operations of this act the number of officers returned 
to any particular arm of the service at any time exceeds the number authorized 
by law in any grade, promotions to that grade shall cease until the number has 
been reduced to that authorized. 

Senator Briggs. Now, this proviso modifies that. 

Senator Warren. May I bring in another matter upon which I 
want to get a little information? In section 9 we say that to provide 
the staff officers that will be necessary the President is authorized to 
appoint volunteer staff officers, and then it says: 

Provided, That the total number of such officers so appointed shall not exceed 
the ratio of one officer to two hundred enlisted men for all National Guard and 
volunteer forces called into the service of the United States: Provided further, 
That no officer above the grade of colonel shall be appointed under the pro¬ 
visions of this section. 

In your National Guard they have their staff officers, have they 
not, as State officers? 

Gen. Wood. Yes, sir; as State officers. 

Senator Warren. Then, do you mean, in making up your volun¬ 
teer regiments, to count both the National Guard and the other? 
You would get a double representation in your staff, would you not, 
in that way ? 

Gen. Wood. You would have the same proportion of officers as in 
the National Guard. 

Senator Warren. No; but if I read this right, in order to get the 
proportion in the Volunteers, instead of counting the Volunteers, if 
you count the Volunteers and the National Guard, you would have 
20, whereas without the National Guard you would have 15, and then 
you would have the National Guard with its officers, and with a staff, 
in each State coming out with the regiment, would you not? 

Gen. Wood. Yes; they come in with the regiments. 

Senator Briggs. Yes; but it is combined. 

Senator Warren. No. 

Senator Briggs. It says, “The total number of such officers so 
appointed shall not exceed the ratio of 1 officer to 200 enlisted men 
for all National Guard and volunteer forces.” 


22 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


Senator Warren. I understand in the Volunteers you have no 
staff officers except the 2-| per cent, whereas in the National Guard 
you have your general staff officers plus 2-| per cent. 

Maj. Hagood. Senator, if you will allow me, the National Guard 
organizations have their proper staff officers, and the volunteer 
regiments, when they come out, would have their proper staff officers. 

Senator Warren. Yes. 

Maj. Hagood. And this section was to provide that the Staff Corps 
themselves, the Quartermaster’s Department and the Commissary’s 
Department, and so forth, could in time of war be enlarged by the 
appointment of one volunteer staff officer to each 200 enlisted men 
added to raise an army of war strength. In the Spanish-American 
War they authorized the appointment of volunteer officers in the 
Staff Corps. The Quartermaster’s Department, for instance, could 
not possibly handle an army of 500,000 men in the held, with its peace 
organization, so that it must have in time of war an additional force. 
This is what is provided for in this section. 

The Chairman. As I understand it, the President can not muster 
into the service a greater number of staff officers with the National 
Guard than would be attributed to the like number of Regular 
troops ? 

Gen. Wood. No, sir. 

The Chairman. It is limited to that ? 

Gen. Wood. It is limited to that. 

Maj. Hagood. It is limited to the staff officers serving with their 
organizations. There is no provision of existing law for an increase 
in the Commissary Department or the Quartermaster’s or other staff 
department in time of war. The peace organization of the Staff 
Corps is only sufficient to administer the Regular Armyand if a 
great army were raised for war they would have to be increased. 

The Chairman. But how about the ordnance officers, for instance; 
would they not come in ? 

Maj. Hagood. Every regiment and brigade would come in com¬ 
plete with its staff officers, but this is the provision for the General 
Staff Corps. The Ordnance Department would be on the same basis 
as the rest. 

Senator Warren. I want to know about those coming in with the 
Volunteers. Would you block them out, and would you appoint so 
many more? Do you claim that this does not apply to regimental 
officers, but it is only to apply to a Staff Corps that would not have 
any officers in the National Guard? 

The Chairman. I think this is something that should be examined 
into very carefully. You call out a division, with the major general 
and all the organized National Guard, and that brings in the com¬ 
missaries and quartermasters and all such people? 

Maj. Hagood. Yes. 

The Chairman. You do not allow a division staff larger than the 
Regular Army has ? 

Gen. Wood. Yes; somewhat. 

The Chairman. The President would not allow anv more to be 
mustered in as staff officers ? 

Gen. Wood. No, sir. I think the trouble is here. Some of the 
militia may come in as divisions and with their division staff, and 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


23 


there would be no necessity for the President to appoint any staff 
officers. But when we call in regiments we have to organize them 
into brigades and divisions. 

Senator Briggs. And you can add to the staff already provided by 
the National Guard and the Volunteer staff until it comes up to 
2 per cent ? 

Gen. Wood. Two per cent. 

Senator Briggs. For the combined force? 

Gen. Wood. Yes. 

The Chairman. Would you mind giving us first your views on the 
bill as a whole and then discussing it by sections? I)o you not think 
that would be a good way, if that is agreeable to the members of the 
committee ? 

Gen. Wood. I believe the bill as now presented to be a thoroughly 
good bill, and I recommend its approval, as tending to provide a 
means for raising and properly organizing volunteer troops, in case 
of war, and I believe that the bill as proposed is a great improvement 
on the existing law. 

Senator Foster. Will you state briefly what are the material 
changes in this bill from the existing law, and what you consider the 
material improvements in the law? 

Gen. Wood. May I run over it section by section? 

The Chairman. Certainly; take your own way. 

Gen. Wood. The first section is practically the existing law, with 
a minor change in wording. I am going to leave, if I may, a copy 
of this memorandum T have made on the present law and some re¬ 
marks on the changes in the law. (See Appendix A.) 

Section 2 accords with existing law in that it recognizes the Na¬ 
tional Guard as a separate force from the Volunteers. The use of 
the term “National Guard” instead of “Organized Militia” is new. 
That is a new feature of the second section. 

Under section 3 there is no change. That is the existing law. 

Section 4 is the same as the existing law, except for the use of the 
term “National Guard” instead of “Organized Militia.” 

Section 5 is the existing law, except for minor changes in wording 
and the change in the term of enlistment from two years to the period 
of the war or existing emergency. That is an important change 
there. 

Senator Warren. May I ask a question there? Beginning on line 
IT in section 5 it reads: 

Provided , That all enlistments in the volunteer forces shall he for a period 
terminating with the conclusion of hostilities or the passing of the emergency. 

Would there be any possibility of a suspicion on the part of the 
troops that the war might last for 8 or 10 years, so that they would 
not, therefore, enlist? Do you think that the period of a war will 
always be comparable with the number of years that one enlistment 
would cover ? 

Gen. Wood. I think so. I think the feeling would be a good deal 
as it was at the beginning of the Civil War, when men enlisted for 
the war after the first short enlistment, and this is to obviate the 
shake-up that we had then. 

The Chairman. Every militiaman or national guardsman is en¬ 
listed for a term of years, two or three years, and at the expiration 


24 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


of that time lie would be entitled to his discharge, so that he could 
not be kept in, evidently, for the whole Avar ? 

Senator Warren. This intends to have it for the Avar. 

Senator Foster. As I understand the Irav now, all enlistment in 
the volunteer service is for tAvo years, or until the expiration of 
hostilities. 

Senator Warren. That is not the way it states it here. 

Senator Foster. But this makes it for the entire war. 

Gen. Wood. Yes, sir. The term of enlistment is changed from two 
years to the period of the war or existing emergency. 

Senator Warren. This remark may be entirely surplusage, but I 
notice in the proviso it says that the Amlunteer forces shall be main¬ 
tained only during the existence of war or Avhile war is imminent. 
That is positive. I take it that you expect that to be governed by 
line 21, Avhere it says “ that all officers and men composing such 
forces shall be discharged from the service of the United States as 
soon as practicable after the conclusion of hostilities or the passing 
of the emergency ” ? 

Gen. Wood. Yes. 

Senator Warren. Unless you assume that there will be a declara¬ 
tion that the war is over, the men are still held, or could be held, 
notAvithstanding your provision here that enlistments shall be only 
for the Avar. That is, it Avould go on the declaration that Avar was 
over. Avould it? 

Gen. Wood. It would have to be on declaration that Avar was over, 
unless there Avas a condition of danger of resumption of war or of 
further hostilities. 

Senator Warren. This positWe statement that enlistments in the 
volunteer forces shall be only during the war means, I suppose-- 

Gen. Wood. Until the official termination of hostilities. 

Senator Warren. The official termination of hostilities. Of 
course, when the Civil War closed that was the reason Ave had so 
many desertions, and that is why Ave have so many cases of desertion 
to deal with now. The papers all said that the war was over, 
although no declaration Avas made to that effect for a good many 
months, and w T e had thousands and thousands of desertions, so called. 
Men had gone home on furlough and they thought the war was over 
and they need not go back. I would like to have you think of that 
and consider whether the war should be considered over Avhen so de¬ 
clared by the proper authorities. 

Gen. Wood. That is the natural conclusion. 

Senator Warren. Yes; but it will not do any harm to have that 
point settled. 

Maj. Hagood. That is a A T erbatim copy of the existing law. 

Senator Warren. Yes; and the imperfection of the existing law r is 
Avhat I am bringing up. At the end of the Civil War we had no end 
of confusion about it. 

Gen. Wood. What wording would the committee suggest to be 
inserted there ? 

Senator Warren. T think only tAvo or three words there would 
accomplish the object; that the termination of the Avar shall be upon 
a declaration. 

Senator Briggs. Does not that last sentence cover that? 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


25 


urS en , a f? r ^ ARKEN * ^ dees, except for the other positive part: 

1 hat the volunteer forces shall be maintained only during the exist¬ 
ence of war, or while war is imminent.” 

Gen. Wood. 1 hat could be determined by a proclamation of the 
-President. 

Senator Briggs. I he proviso is, “And that all officers and men 
composing said forces shall be discharged from the service of the 
United States as soon as practicable after the conclusion of hostilities 
or the passing of the emergency.” 

Senator Warren. Yes. The two taken together would, by fair 
construction, mean that there must be somebody to say when the 
war was over. I do not think it would do any harm to insert a few 
words to make that clear. 

Senator Foster. I understand that provision to be inserted mainly 
for the reason, that the war in which you are especially engaged may 
be terminated, and yet there may be a probability of a war with some 
other power arising right after the conclusion of the war between the 
actual parties. 

Gen. Wood. Yes. 

Senator Foster. And that is such an emergency as is contemplated 
by this bill, and would authorize the holding of the volunteer forces 
in the service ? 

Gen. Wood. Yes. You had that case, exactly, in the Philippines. 

Senator Warren. It says here “ while war is imminent.” 

Gen. Wood. We had a war with Spain, immediately followed by 
the rebellion in the Philippines, and we had to meet that by the 
organization of volunteer regiments independent of the call for the 
War with Spain. 

Senator Warren. I like it as you have it; but if you had been 
working for 10 years over these old desertion cases, and had read as 
much of the testimony as I have, I think you would appreciate the 
value of a word or two there to the effect that the termination of the 
war should be considered to be when the President said so. That 
would cover it. 

Senator Briggs. I rather think they could cover that better in the 
contract of enlistment with the men. 

Senator Warren. That is all right, too; but the law would be giv¬ 
ing the foundation on which the contract would be made. 

Gen. Wood. So that the termination should be considered to be on 
the proclamation of the President? 

Senator Warren. I think legally this might remain as it is, but 
there is a great deal of misunderstanding about this. There was a 
great deal of confusion at the end of the Civil War, and also in the 
Philippines. 

Senator Briggs. It looks to me as though this whole section was to 
prevent the indefinite continuance of a volunteer force after peace 
was declared, which of course would be repugnant to the people of 
this country, and there would be an objection to the bill without such 
a provision in it. 

Senator Warren. I think the section is good with that one query. 

Senator Briggs. I think, so far as the men are concerned, you have 
got to regulate that by your form of contract of enlistment. 

Gen. Wood. If this section were put in. then the contract of enlist¬ 
ment would carry them, would it not? 


26 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


Senator Warren. Yes. 

Gen. Wood. I think that is very important. 

The Chairman. The War Department, when they come to make the 
contract of enlistment, could put it in proper form. 

Gen. Wood. Section 6 is the existing law, with slight change in 
phraseology, but no change of purport. The first proviso, with new 
wording, provides specifically what is implied in the existing law: 

Provided. That the power to organize shall include the power to provide the 
officers and enlisted men of all grades and classes, including trained nurses, 
male and female, that may he necessary in the various arms, corps, and de¬ 
partments. 

We consider that the present law implies the power to do that, but 
it does not specifically so state, and so we put it in specifically in 
this law. 

Senator Foster. It makes this change also, does it not, that it takes 
from the governors of the States the power to appoint officers to those 
volunteer forces and confers that power upon the President? 

Senator Warren. It makes it a Federal volunteer force, altogether 
separate and apart from the State. They are at large. As I under¬ 
stand it. the whole United States Army is a volunteer army ? 

Gen. Wood. Yes. 

Senator Briggs. I do not think this section makes that change. 

Senator Foster. It reads: 

Provided. That the power to organize shall include the power to provide the 
officers and enlisted men of all grades and classes, including trained nurses, 
male and female, that may be necessary in the various arms, corps, and de¬ 
partments. 

Is not there the provision in the bill that confers the power upon 
the President? 

Gen. Wood. It is a later provision. The second proviso in section 
6 is the same as existing law: 

Provided further. That all men received in the service in the volunteer forces 
shall, as far as practicable, be taken from the several States and Territories and 
the District of Columbia in proportion to their respective populations. 

Section 7 is the existing law, or existing law for militia. The 
existing law prescribes brigades of three regiments and divisions of 
three brigades. 

Senator Warren. At least three regiments. 

Gen. Wood. Two or more and divisions of three regiments. The 
second proviso reads as follows: 

Provided further. That to each regiment of infantry, cavalry, and artillery, 
and to each battalion of engineers and signal troops organized under this act 
there shall he attached the same personnel and troops of the medical department- 
as are attached to like organizations of the Regular Army. 

Senator Warren. That is a good point, because there will be no 
complaint then from the men of the volunteer service that they are 
neglected for the men of the Regular Army. 

Gen. Wood. As to the third proviso, the existing law is silent upon 
this subject. That proviso reads: 

Provided further. That the organization of the coast defenses, of machine-gun 
detachments, sanitary formations, remount depots, military trains, secret-service 
agencies, military prisons, line of communication, including their supply depots, 
and of other adjuncts.that may be necessary in the prosecution of war and the 
organization of which is not otherwise provided by law, shall he as the President 
may from time to time direct. 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


27 


That was put in, I think, for two reasons. In the first place the 
policy relative to machine guns and to hospital organization is in a 
formative stage now. 

Senator Warren. It is entirely new as to machine guns? 

Gen. Wood. Yes. All those things are under consideration. Many 
of the armies of the world are studying that organization now, and 
that was left here so that the President could approve whatever was 
adopted by the department. 

The Chairman. Then if this act was passed, and it was only called 
into effect 10 years hence, there would be great improvements, and 
the law would be insufficient, or might be insufficient? 

Gen. Wood. For instance, we started in with two machine guns to 
a regiment, and the tendency now is very strongly to a machine-gun 
company of six guns to a regiment. 

Senator Warren. You are really proceeding that way with your 
infantry now, to give it one company ? 

Gen. Wood. Yes. On the other hand, if we organized a great 
number of volunteer regiments a machine-gun company per regi¬ 
ment would probably be too many. Then, again, if you were sending 
troops to a tropical country you would probably need a great many 
more sanitary troops than you would under other conditions, and 
that provision should be, as it is written, elastic. 

The Chairman. I think that is very good. 

Gen. Wood. We come now to section 8. Existing law prescribes 
that all regimental and company officers shall be appointed by the 
governors, and all staff and general officers shall be appointed by the 
President. The proposed law, of course, puts all these appointments 
in the-hands of the President. 

Senator Foster. General, does that policy meet with your ap¬ 
proval ? 

Gen. Wood. For volunteers, ves, sir; because the Organized Militia 
is left entirely in the hands of the governors of the States, and they 
are a part of the first line of the Army at present, and the first troops 
to be called out would be the Regular Army and Militia, and no vol¬ 
unteers can be called, under existing law, until all the properly quali¬ 
fied militia has been called to the colors, and then you pass to Volun¬ 
teers. Everything belonging to the States having been called in, and 
the Regular Establishment, then the President calls for volunteers 
from the United States at large, and officers them. I think this the 
best procedure, for the reason that he will have a much broader field 
for the selection of officers, and they will be appointed under condi¬ 
tions controlled largely by the department, and you will get a more 
uniform good selection of men. 

Senator Foster. I can see very good reasons for that change, but 
I thought that probably it might be a better policy to give the 
appointing power to the President from, say, majors on up, or let 
the immediate company officers be selected probably by the men, or 
bv the governor. What do you think about that, just as a policy, 
General ? Do you think you had better have all the officers from the 
lieutenants on up selected by the President, or do you think it would 
be better to begin with the majors and the colonels? 

The Chairman. In other words, field officers? 

Senator Foster. Field officers. 


28 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


Senator Warren. You are enlisting these men not necessarily in 
State regiments, but necessarily in regiments at large. Now, query, 
what governor and what State will provide for Company A and 
Company B and Company C, coming as they do, perhaps, from two 
States? Will there not be some confusion? I can see the point, be¬ 
cause in the Civil War that policy was pursued in a way. But it 
seems to me that in the Regular United States Volunteers, as the 
General says, after you have exhausted your regular forces, it ought 
to be cosmopolitan, it ought to be at large, so that you do not have to 
wait. You remember how many regiments had to wait, in different 
States, to fill up part of the regiment ; and they had to wait under 
pay, very often, for some time before they could be filled up and sent 
to the front. In this manner you could take a regiment from 20 
States or from 1. A company could come from 3 different States. I 
take it, of course, with the idea of proportion that you have intro¬ 
duced in the bill, that in calling for troops, as near as may be there 
should be a proportion among the States, and there should also be a 
proportion among the officers, aside from those appointed from the 
Regular Army. I presume that would be so. 

Senator Bristow. Do you not think there is danger that the Presi¬ 
dent might some time appoint an officer from New England, for 
instance, to a company in a regiment in Louisiana? Is there not 
danger of the troops resenting that, and of there being criticism; and 
would not the troops be better officered if the officers that.they come 
in direct contact with are more or less their own people? 

The Chairman. There is already a provision in section 10, as fol¬ 
lows, which covers that in part. It says: 

Provided, That in appointments from the country at large preference shall be 
given those who have had honorable service in the Regular Army, the National 
Guard, or the volunteer forces, or who have been graduated from educational 
institutions in which military instruction is compulsory, and to those duly 
qualified and registered pursuant to section 23 of the act approved January 
21, 1903. 

Senator Briggs. Senator, I think the sentence before that bears 
more directly upon it. It reads: 

Sec. 10. That in appointing originally the volunteer officers authorized in this 
act, and in all subsequent promotions and appointments of volunteer officers 
the President may select them from the Regular Army, from the Organized 
Militia of the District of Columbia, and, upon the recommendation of the vari¬ 
ous governors, from the Organized Militia of the several States and Territories, 
and from the country at large. 

Then comes in what you just read. 

Senator Warren. I think, as Senator Bristow says, if that were 
done, and a New England officer was put down with a Louisiana 
regiment, of course it would provoke criticism: but I am not presum¬ 
ing that anything of that kind would be done. 

Senator Foster. No; it is only those that the officers come in 
personal, daily contact with. I was asking Gen. Wood what he 
thought of that as a policy. 

Senator Warren. If either one of us was Secretary of War or 
President we would at once follow the selection of the officers from 
amongst the men. But what I refer to is the difficulty of recruiting 
companies or regiments in time of war, when there is need for hurry, 
and having to hold a company for completion of enlistments from a 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


29 


particular locality in order that it might be officered by a particular 
officer, as we did in the Civil War. And many an officer had to go 
out of service because of the dissemination of the company. 

The Chairman. I think the policy should be to appoint officers 
from the same part of the country as the men, as far as practicable. 

Senator Foster. I think so. 

Senator Warren. The practical policy should be just as the Sena¬ 
tor from Kansas says. 

Senator BriSTow. If it be required, some latitude may be given 
to the President. 

The Chairman. If you will permit me, I would like to read this 
provision of the act approved January 21. 1903 (32 Stat., pt. 1. p. 
780), as to examinations for commissions. It reads: 

Provided further, That such appointments shall be distributed proportionately, 
as near as may be, among the States contributing such volunteer forces. 

That answers Senator Bristow. 

Senator Warren. If that very language was in here and then you 
added “ as near as may be from the localities from which the troops 
were recruited,” it would cover the point I wanted to make. 

Senator Bristow. That would cover the point. 

Senator Warren. Leaving it open. 

Senator Bristow. Yes. 

Senator Briggs. General, in calling for these troops have you con¬ 
sidered the matter as to how you would call for them—so many com¬ 
panies or regiments, or so many thousand men ? 

Gen. Wood. We would call for so many thousand men. 

Senator Briggs. And then proportion it accordingly? 

Gen. AVood. And proportion it accordingly. 

Senator Briggs. So many thousand from New York, and so on. 

Senator AA t arren. So many thousand from the whole United 
States and then apportion it. 

Gen. AA t ood. They would be apportioned to the States according 
to the population. 

Senator Briggs. That is just the point. Would you apportion 
them, so many thousand men or so many regiments ? 

Gen. AAtood. So many men. 

Senator Warren. You have got to do that. I remember seeing 
a great many pieces of companies and pieces of regiments hanging 
around during the Civil AA"ar. The regiment that I went out in was 
nine months before it went into battle. That is what we want to 
avoid. AYe want to do exactly what Senator Foster and Senator 
Bristow have stated, only we want it not to tie us up so positively 
as it did before. 

Senator Briggs. Then if you were in a hurry for troops after you 
made the call, and you found two companies in New York and one 
company in Pennsylvania and one in New Jersey and one in Ohio, 
you Avould get those companies together and form a regimental organ¬ 
ization ; or would you lay out beforehand what regiments those com¬ 
panies "were to go to? 

Gen. Wood. Those are matters of detail. The exact method of 
the working out would not be difficult. 

Senator Briggs. Yes, I understand that; but it makes this differ¬ 
ence. It has a little bearing on the question of your officers. 


30 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


Gen. Wood. May I explain to the committee just what happened 
in one case? There was a regiment organized according to the sug¬ 
gestion of Senator Warren, and it was in the first call for United 
States volunteers for the Spanish War, and it was the only regiment 
raised that way that went to Cuba. There were two others, but they 
did not get out of the country. This regiment was assigned princi¬ 
pally to the States, or the Territories—Oklahoma, Indian Territory, 
Arizona, and New Mexico—but general discretion was given to accept 
men from any State in the Union, and the regiment? had men from 
almost every State in the Union. 

Senator Warren. That was to get a certain class of men ? 

Gen. Wood. Yes; to get a certain class of men and of officers. 
The governors of Oklahoma, Indian Territory, Arizona, and New 
Mexico were told that so many men were wanted, 280, 520, or what¬ 
ever it was. They immediately proceeded to organize these men 
into provisional companies, and to nominate for the approval of the 
President provisional officers, and with that organization they re¬ 
ported at the rendezvous at San Antonio. In the meantime the Presi¬ 
dent had appointed the colonel and lieutenant colonel, and I, as 
colonel of the regiment, had gone over the available officers of the 
Regular Army, and had a number of them appointed as officers in 
the regiment. The qualifications of the officers recommended by the 
governors of the Territories were carefully considered and those 
officers taken, just as far as possible, and those eliminated who were 
not desirable; and that is practically what I think would happen in 
time of war. 

Senator Foster. I just threw out that as a suggestion, General. 

Gen. Wood. It is a very valuable one, sir. 

Senator Foster. It looks to me as if it might be well for you to 
consider which you think is the better policy. Of course, I presume 
you think the one you have incorporated in the bill is the better. 

Senator Warren. I do not see why they should not be appor¬ 
tioned as near as may be and not tie it down. 

Gen. Wood. You suggest that the officers be apportioned as near 
as may be? 

Senator Warren. Yes; and that would do no harrii. I am a firm 
believer in having this volunteer force as near as may be on the same 
basis as the Regular Army. It is a regular army, onl} r for a shorter 
time. But there is force in the suggestion of keeping like with like, 
as far as possible, and not to delay these formations, and not be so 
positive as to bar good material. For instance, the State might be 
short, it might not have the applicants to sufficiently officer the men; 
and another State might have a great abundance, and it might be a 
State lying right alongside of the other. In fact, you have to do that 
with the enlisted men, to a certain extent, unless you proceed with the 
order, “ You must fill this quota, or we will draft men/’ Just as I 
think, while the President’s hands are left entirely fee, sound policy 
would dictate the appointing of the officers right from the men. 

Senator Bristow. Is there not great pressure here in the capital 
on the part of those who immediately surround the President for 
favorites ? 

Senator Warren. Yes; but the Senate would not confirm them. 

Senator Bristow. And then those men are injected out into the 
States and it creates an ugly feeling. 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


31 


Senator Briggs. The first proviso of section 10 reads: 

Provided , That in appointments from the country at large preference shall be 
given those who have had honorable service in the Regular Army, the National 
Guam, . or volunteer forces, or who have been graduated from educational 
institutions in which military instruction is compulsory, and to those duly 
qualified and registered pursuant to section twenty-three of the act approved 
January twenty-first, nineteen hundred and three. * 

That section says: 

And that such appointments shall be distributed proportionately, as near as 
may be, among the various States contributing such volunteer forces. 

That is the section that is referred to in this law. 

The Chairman. I think that covers it pretty much. 

Senator Briggs. It provides for the acceptance of recommenda¬ 
tions of the various governors and then dividing them as nearly as 
may be in proportion to the men who come from the various States. 

Senator Bristow. As it is now the governor appoints? 

Senator Briggs. The governor appoints. 

The Chairman. That is as it was in the Civil War, and in the 
Philippine War the President appointed all of them, and in the 
Spanish-American War? 

Gen. Wood. In the Philippine part of it. After the Volunteers 
that went to Cuba and that were assembled in these various camps 
throughout the country were mustered out, volunteers were taken 
into the service, who were officered entirely by the President, and 
enlisted from the country at large, exactly as is proposed here, and 
they were an exceptionally fine body of volunteer troops; perhaps, 
with the exception of the veteran regiments in the Civil War, the 
best volunteer regiments ever together. You see under the present 
law we have to use the entire Regular Army and the entire militia 
before we can call for volunteers, and the militia will be filled up to 
war strength both in officers and men by the governors of the States. 

Senator Bristow. There are only about 120,000 of those men, are 
there not? 

Gen. Wood. About 120,000 on a peace basis: but filled to a war 
strength about double that number of enlisted men. 

Senator Foster. In our State the governor can not appoint the 
officers of the National Guard. They have to be elected. 

Gen. Wood. The serious thing with both Regular and militia 
to-day is the lack of any provision for filling them up to war strength 
with men who have had any sort of instruction. 

The Chairman. General, in your opinion would a regiment of 
United States Volunteers, officered as proposed in this law, be more 
quickly efficient than a regiment organized under the old law? 

Gen. Wood. Yes, sir; for the reason that these regiments would 
be officered under regulations which had the full approval of the 
War Department. It would be under a more carefully worked out 
scheme and you could get better men. Of course I - am speaking of 
the rule. We might have exceptions, where you had a specially 
energetic governor, who devoted great attention to officering regi¬ 
ments. But, taking it as a whole, I do not think there would be any 
comparison. I think Ihey would be much better officered in this way. 
But I believe that the suggestion of Senator Foster is very valuable, 
and that there ought to be some understanding that as far as practi- 


32 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


cable the officers will be from the locality. I think that covers it 
entirely. 

The Chairman. I think if the suggestions do not cover it entirely, 
they go very far toward it. 

Gen. Wood. Section 9 is next. The Volunteer act of April 22, 
1898, failed to provide any staff officers except those for the troops 
in the field. Within three months there were eight different acts 
authorizing substantial increases of the Staff Corps by Volunteer 
appointments. The act of March 2, 1899, specified a number of staff 
officers equal to 1 for each 175 enlisted men. 

Section 9 makes definite provision for that. Section 9 reads: 

Sec. 9. That to provide the staff officers that will be necessary in the various 
staff corps and departments in time of war, while war is immiment, and that 
are not otherwise provided for in this act. the President is authorized to ap¬ 
point. by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, such number of Vol¬ 
unteer staff officers of the proper grades for such corps and departments as he 
may find necessary: Prorided, The total number of such officers so appointed 
shall not exceed the ratio of one officer to two hundred enlisted men—• 

That just fixes definitely the number— 

for all National Guard and Volunteer forces called into the service of the United 
States: Provided further, That no officer above the grade of colonel shall be 
appointed under the provisions of this section. 

That was to avoid the promotion of an unnecessary number of 
general officers. 

Section 10 has some new wording, but the same thing could be 
done under the act of March 2, 1899. 

Section 10 reads: 

That in appointing originally the Volunteer officers authorized in this act and 
in all subsequent promotions and appointments of Volunteer officers^ the Presi¬ 
dent may select them from the Regular Army, from the Organized Militia of 
the District of Columbia, and. upon the recommendation of the various gov¬ 
ernors, from the Organized Militia of the several States and Territories, and 
from the country at large: Provided, That in appointments from the country 
at large preference shall be given those who have had honorable service in the 
Regular Army, the National Guard, or the Volunteer forces, or who have been 
graduated from educational institutions in which military instruction is com¬ 
pulsory, and to those duly qualified and registered pursuant to section twenty- 
three of the act approved January twenty-first, nineteen hundred and three. 

Gen. Wood. Then the next proviso provides the number of officers 
who shall go to Volunteer organizations, and the last proviso is that 
of the existing law. 

Senator Briggs. I suppose in a small war that will be all right, 
but in a big war, if we had a big lot of troops in the field, they would 
deplete the Regular Army on that basis ? 

Gen. Wood. Yes. 

The Chairman. On that line, I want to ask a question, which I 
also propounded yesterday to Gen. Wotherspoon, concerning this 
proviso at the bottom of page 1: 

Provided further. That not to exceed two Regular Army officers shall hold 
Volunteer commissions in any one battalion of Volunteer Engineers or signal 
troops at the same time— 

whether one officer would not be sufficient for a battalion ? 

Gen. Wood. I think one would be sufficient. We left it here “ not 
to exceed two, r for the reason you have referred to. If there was 
a call for a small number of Volunteers, that left it within the dis- 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


33 


cretion of the President. I doubt if lie would appoint even one, 
because it would be so much more important to put them in as 
colonels of regiments. Even in the Spanish War we had difficulty 
in getting Regular officers to serve with the small number of Volun¬ 
teers that we had at that time. 

The Chairman. My idea was that if it was left in this way, and 
all the officers should be taken away from the Regular Army, it 
would weaken the Regular Army. 

Gen. Wood. Yes. 

The Chairman. The next is section 11. 

Gen. Wood. Officers detached for Volunteer commissions are placed 
on the same basis as those detached in time of peace for staff duty, 
militia duty, etc. Section 27 of the act of February 2,1901, provides 
for such officers being automatically absorbed upon the termination 
of their staff duty, and the same would apply upon the termination 
of their Volunteer commissions. 

The Chairman. Well, it strikes me that it will be necessary to 
modify that. Senator Briggs and I were discussing this question a 
few moments ago; if a Regular officer received higher rank subject to 
the provision of section 27 with reference to details to the Staff 
Corps, you would have any number of supernumerary Regular offi¬ 
cers ; and the question is whether that provision should not be modi¬ 
fied so as to prescribe that all such appointments shall be temporary. 
That is the way they were in the Civil War. 

Gen. Wood. Yes; and then a man received, occasionally, Regular 
rank as a reward for distinguished services. 

The Chairman. Yes. 

Senator Briggs. I think this proviso here refers exclusively to the 
officers who were put in the places of the men put in the Regular 
Army, in place of the men who are detailed to the Regular service? 

The Chairman. Yes. 

Gen. Wood. Will you hear Maj. ITagood, who was engaged in the 
preparation of this draft? 

Maj. Hagood. If I understood what the Senator said, he had in 
mind an officer appointed a colonel of Volunteers? 

The Chairman. Yes. 

Maj. Hagood. When he came back he would come back as a 
colonel ? 

The Chairman. Yes. 

Maj. Hagood. But that is not the way it would work. 

The Chairman. That is not the intent of the law? 

Maj. Hagood. No, sir. 

The Chairman. That is what I wanted to know. 

Maj. Hagood. If a captain were detailed as a colonel in the Volun¬ 
teers, that would make a vacancy in his arm, say, the Infantry, among 
the captains, and the senior first lieutenant would be promoted. 

The Chairman. Temporarily? 

Maj. Hagood. No, sir; he would be promoted. 

The Chairman. Oh, he would be promoted? 

Maj. Hagood. Yes. Then, when the war was over and that colonel 
of Volunteers came back to his position as a captain in the Regular 
Army-- 

The Chairman. He would be a supernumerary captain? 

16247—VOL ARMY—11-3 


34 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


Maj. Hagood. Yes; he would be a supernumerary captain, and 
promotion in the Infantry would cease until he had been absorbed. 

Gen. Wood. May I answer more in detail? For instance, it is a 
good deal as it is in the Ordnance now. A man is detailed in the Ord¬ 
nance, and he is carried on two lists. If an officer was detailed as a 
colonel of Volunteers in the Field Artillery, his name would continue 
on the regimental list, and his place would be filled, and his name 
would be italicized, and he would go right on in regimental promo¬ 
tion, and when the war was over he would come back to take the place 
he would have had in the regiment by virtue of promotion; say, to the 
rank of major in the Regular Establishment. He would be a surplus 
major to be absorbed. 

The Chairman. There would not be a surplusage of colonels or 
lieutenant colonels? 

Gen. Wood. There might be, sir. 

Senator Briggs. It would only be so in case, in the regular line of 
promotion- 

Maj. Hagood. He had gone up to be a colonel. 

Senator Warren. I am sorry that I have had to be out of the room 
for a few minutes. Of course, when the Committee on Military Af¬ 
fairs discussed this question of the General Staff the proposition 
was to fill places of this kind while these men were out, and when 
these men went back and wanted these places there would be a cor¬ 
responding number come in, and they would handle it in that way. 
I think you have rather done away with that plan. How, in this 
plan, are you going to provide for that ? 

Gen. Wood. In case of war we may detail from the Regular regi¬ 
ments a considerable number of officers for duty with Volunteer 
organizations. As I understand the present bill, each vacancy cre¬ 
ated by such detail will be filled by the promotion of officers below, 
the vacancies at the bottom of the list being filled by the commis¬ 
sioning of officers with temporary commissions. These officers, at 
the end of the war, will be mustered out. The difficulty in the situ¬ 
ation arises from the fact that as the bill is written the officers of the 
Regular Establishment who have been promoted as the fesult of these 
details will hold the positions which they have gained, and the re¬ 
turning officers will be surplus officers in their grades, and promotion 
will necessarily be blocked until they have been absorbed, excepting 
as we may be able to assign them to the unassigned list of 200 author¬ 
ized by law, assignment to which creates a vacancy, so that promotion 
to this extent would be permitted; but, as would probably be the 
case in a war of any magnitude, the number of officers returning to 
regular organizations and to the various regular staff corps would be 
far in excess of this number, consequently there would be a certain 
amount of blocking of promotion. It is difficult, however, to avoid 
the creation of a particular situation after a great war, a situation 
which will have to be met by special measures provided at the time. 
This solution appears to be a very feasible one. Another method 
would be that originally provided in the bill, namely, when officers 
are promoted in regular organizations as the result of the assignment 
of their fellows for service in the Volunteers they be advanced with 
Volunteer commissions, terminable at the end of the war, whereupon 
they will revert to the place to which they may have arisen through 



VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


35 


normal promotion in the regular establishment, the officers detailed 
with the \ olunteers having retained their places in the Regular or- 
ganization and receiving their promotion as though still with their 
arm or corps. 

Senator Warren. You mean you would make Regular Armv offi¬ 
cers temporarily commissioned? 

Gen. Wood In the first place, the Regular officers, as the bill is 
here presented, would be permanently advanced and commissioned 
in the Regular Establishment, incident to the detail of their fellows 
for duty in the Volunteers. As the bill was originally drawn the 
Regular officers who were advanced for this cause would not be given 
Regular commissions, but would be given Volunteer commissions in 
the Regular Establishment, commissions which would expire with 
the war. In both cases the vacancies created at the bottom of the 
list would be filled by officers holding temporary commissions in the 
Regular Army, commissions which would expire with the end of the 
war. 1 his is something we have never had before and was suggested 
with a view to obviating the difficulties incident to courts-martial. 

Senator Briggs. In other words, you would detail from the Regular 
Army experienced officers, and you would have experienced officers 
in over half of each branch. 

Senator Warren. I understand, but the question was raised by 
the chairman earlier in this hearing, which led me to wonder if it 
could mean that it was proposed to make any temporary officers, be¬ 
cause there could not be temporary officers" in the Regular Army. 
They could be detailed. 

Gen. Wood. Yes. 

Senator Warren. But it is entirely a reasonable matter to put in 
Volunteer officers for such term of service as there may be use for 
them. 

The Chairman. As 1 understand it, Senator, the second lieuten¬ 
ants, and so on, would be temporary appointments? They are 
temporary, and would be mustered out at the end of the war? 

Gen. Wood. Yes, sir; but while in would hold temporary commis¬ 
sions in the Regular Army. 

Senator Warren. I would like to get your idea of the proportion 
for, approximately, say, raising 500,000 men for war. 

Gen. Wood. We state that not over four officers of the Regular 
Army shall be assigned to a regiment of Volunteers. But there is one 
thing that must be remembered. We are detailing 800 officers with 
the colleges and schools and the militia, and other classes of detached 
service, so that we will always have a place, roughly speaking, for 
1,000 extra officers. 

Senator Warren. But when you got into a war you would have 
to have how many? What do you make that figure? 

Gen. Wood. 550,000 troops altogether? 

Senator Warren. Yes. 

Maj. Hagood. 150,000 Regulars and 200,000 militia; that would 
leave 200,000 Volunteers, and if every regiment had its full maximum 
quota, that would be 800 Volunteer commissions from the Regular 
Army. That would be about 20 per cent of the present commissioned 
strength. We have 200 extra officers now, so that this would leave 
only 600. 


36 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


Senator Warren. You would hardly expect that you would have 
your entire number left at the end of the war? 

Gen. Wood. You will have to meet at the end of every war a con¬ 
dition of reorganization, to a certain extent, as every country has. 

Senator Briggs. The practical effect of that would be that you 
would not get any officers detailed to these colleges? 

Senator Warren. You mean the men themselves would not want 
to remain with the colleges? 

Senator Briggs. Yes. If an officer is of any account he wants to 
get into a war. 

Gen. Wood. Yes; and at the end of a war you will have, just as 
they had at the end of the Civil War, a large number of distinguished 
officers, for instance, whom you will want to commission in the 
Regular Army, because of their demonstrated military ability; and 
you will always be confronted with a certain amount of reorganiza¬ 
tion at the end of a war; and I do not think it is a thing that you 
need to worry about now. 

We have gone over this bill a great many times, and I believe we 
have plugged up all the holes that Ave can without making it inop¬ 
erative. 

Senator Warren. That is one of the grounds of criticism. 

Gen. Wood. We have had two wars in this country where we have 
run things Avithout any provision for Volunteer forces, and I think 
now is the time, when there is not any danger of a Avar, to get calm 
and reasonable consideration of the matter. 

Senator Warren. Especially as this does not cost anything. 

Gen. Wood. Yes. In section 12 there is nothing new in the 
proviso. 

Section 13 is entirely new. Shall I read it? It is as folloAvs: 

Sec. 13. That in time of war all organizations of the land forces shall be 
recruited and maintained as near their prescribed strength as practicable, 
for this purpose the necessary rendezvous and depots shall be established by 
the Secretary of War for the enlistment and training of recruits, and in order 
that officers may be a Available for recruiting duty the President is authorized, 
by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to appoint officers of Vol¬ 
unteers of the proper arm of the service, additional to those else\vhere herein 
authorized, in numbers not to exceed at the rate of one major, four captains, 
five first lieutenants, and five second lieutenants for each organized regiment of 
Cavalry, Field Artillery, and Infantry, each three battalions of Engineers, and 
each twelve companies of Coast Artillery. 

Should not that be “ or Infantry ” instead of “ and Infantry ” ? 
That might bunch those together. 

Senator Warren. This is for enlistment and training? 

Gen. Wood. Yes; to take these officers back to the fighting line 
for the enlistment, organization, and training at the rendezvous —a 
certain number of officers. 

Senator Warren. Your recruiting station is a school of instruc¬ 
tion? 

Gen. Wood. Yes; in time of war. That should certainly be “ or 
Infantry” instead of “and Infantry.” [Continuing reading:] 

That for the purposes of instruction and discipline, the troops at recruit depots 
herein authorized may be organized into companies and battalions, at the dis¬ 
cretion of the Secretary of War, with noncommissioned officers and privates 
of such grades and numbers as may be prescribed by the President. The 
recruit rendezvous and recruit depots herein prescribed shall be under the 
direct control of the War Department, and shall render their reports and re- 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


37 


tarns to The Adjutant General of the Army: Provided, That to maintain the 
" ational Guard organizations in the service of the United States at their maxi¬ 
mum strength, the recruiting rendezvous and depots in any State or Territory 
may, at the request of the governor thereof, enlist and train recruits for the 
National Guard organizations in the service of the United States 
State. 


the 
from that 


That is simply a provision for a recruit-depot system. 

Senator Briggs. \ on have one recruiting station for all the 
branches ? 

Gen. At ood. All the branches; ves, sir. They are trained there 
and that could be arranged pretty much as you pleased. 

The Chairman. That includes the Regulars? 

Gen. AA 7 ood. Yes. 

The Chairman. It does not say so specifically. 

Gen. AVood. It applies to volunteers, and it contains in the last 
paragraph this proviso: 

Provided . That to maintain the National Guard organizations in the service 
of the T nited States at their maximum strength, the recruiting rendezvous and 
dejtots in any State or Territory may, at the request of the governor thereof, 
enlist and train recruits for the National Guard organizations in the service of 
the T'nited States from that State. 

The Chairman. The objection that I see to that section now is to 
the opening language: u That in time of war all organizations of the 
land forces,” and so forth. 

Of course that includes the regular troops. 

Gen. AA t ood. Yes. 

The Chairman (reading) : 

That in time of war all organizations of the land forces shall be recruited 
and maintained as near their prescribed strength as practicable. For this pur¬ 
pose the necessary rendezvous and depots shall be established by the Secretary 
of War for the enlistment and training of recruits. 

They are already established, a great many of them? 

Gen. AA 1 ood. Yes; but we would have to establish so many more. 

The Chairman. Then so many additional; put that in? 

Gen. AA 7 ood. Yes. 

Senator Briggs. AA T hat is the difference? You say, “the necessary 
ones.” 

The Chairman. You say, “ and in order that officers may be avail¬ 
able for recruiting duty,” additional volunteers may be appointed. 
It does not make it clear whether they are all to be coordinated, the 
rendezvous for the Regular Army and the Regular Army and Vol¬ 
unteers—all three coordinated. It does not seem to be absolutely 
clear. 

Gen. Wood. I think it probably meant that we would have to 
establish recruit depots and remount stations. 

The Chairman. For the Volunteers, separately? 

Gen. AA t ood. No; I think when you once started you would recruit 
for all without distinction, excepting possibly the militia. 

The Chairman. Then would it not be better to say so? Suppose 
you say: 

That in time of war all organizations of the land forces shall be recruited and 
maintained as near their prescribed strength as practicable. For this purpose 
the necessary rendezvous and depots shall be established by the Secretary 
of War. 


38 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


By inference it is clear, but to the novice or the inexperienced per¬ 
son I do not think it would be very clear. I would like to ask Gen. 
Wood whether he favors a joint system, or whether he proposes to 
continue the present rendezvous and recruiting stations for the Reg¬ 
ular Army, which are adequate in time of peace, and could be en¬ 
larged, I suppose, in time of war, and then there could be made some 
separate ones for the Volunteers and militia? 

Gen. Wood. No, sir; I would have only one system of recruiting 
depots in time of war except possibly for the militia. You are going 
to get green men anyway. 

The Chairman. I suppose so. The only question is whether the 
language is clear. 

Senator Warren. You are speaking of section 13? 

The Chairman. Yes. 

Senator Warren. Where it says, “ For this purpose the necessary 
rendezvous and depots shall be established bv the Secretary of War ”•? 

The Chairman. Yes; but they are already established. 

Senator Briggs. I do not see what there is ambiguous about that, 
Mr. Chairman. 

The Chairman. Perhaps I am wrong, but I just made the point 
so as to get the views of Gen. Wood on that subject. 

Senator Briggs. Section 2 defines what the land forces are, and 
this provides for all organizations of the land forces. 

Senator Warren. This section provides: 

The recruit rendezvous and recruit depots herein prescribed shall be under 
the direct control of the War Department. 

Gen. Wood. I would like to make one suggestion, there, to the 
chairman of the committee, that where the words “ the War Depart¬ 
ment ” are used, we should say, “ the Secretary of War,” The War 
Department means nothing. 

Senator Warren. On the same line of the observation made about 
National Guard men? 

Gen. Wood. Yes, sir. The Secretary of War is a definite person¬ 
ality. We do not need to refer to any officers; if we send a thing to 
the Secretary of War it has to go through military channels, and it 
drops into the proper slot in the War Department. 

The Chairman. There is a bill which has been introduced in the 
House to abolish The Adjutant General’s Department, and you refer 
specifically to The Adjutant General of the Army in section 13. 

Gen. Wood. Yes, sir. That is to consolidate it with the General 
Staff. Of course the bill which consolidates that provides that its 
functions be taken up by the General Staff, so that that would be 
absorbed. 

Senator Warren. That is, assuming that that would follow after 
this one. But even otherwise, it would be the same? 

Senator Briggs. Yes; if that bill passes before this does, this bill 
lias got to be modified. 

Gen. Wooi). That bill provides that all the functions of The Adju¬ 
tant General’s Department shall be performed by the corps. 

The Chairman. I would say: 

For this purpose such additional rendezvous and depots as may be found 
necessary shall be established by the Secretary of War. 

That would make it perfectly clear. 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


39 


Senator AYarren. Bet me read this. Tt says: 

For this purpose the necessary rendezvous and depots shall lx* established bv 
the Secretary of War. 

Now, how did you change it? 

The Chairman. So as to make it read: 

1*oi this purpose such additional rendezvous and depots as may lx* necessary 
shall be established by the Secretary of War. 

Tou see, there are rendezvous and depots in time of peace estab¬ 
lished for the Regular Army, and that would show very clearly that 
they were all to be coordinated. 

And particularly if you add u the training of all recruits." That 
would make it perfectly clear. 

Gen. Wood. 1 hat would clear up the question of recruits, no mat¬ 
ter for what the individual recruits were intended. 

The Chairman. That would show that the whole thing was to be 
coordinated. 

Gen. Wood. I think possibly your word that you have just sug¬ 
gested, “ all," straightens the whole thing out. 

The Chairman. That one word would be sufficient, then, I think. 

Senator Briggs. That is all right. 

The Chairman. That would help it very much. I think we had 
better put that in, anyhow. 

Gen. Wood. The next is section 14. The existing law authorized 
the employment of retired Army officers on recruiting duty, but 
without volunteer commissions. 

Section 14 reads: 


Sec. 14. That in the organization of the recruiting system the President is 
authorized to employ retired officers, noncommissioned officers, and privates of 
the Regular Army, either with their rank on the retired list or, in the case of 
enlisted men, with increased noncommissioned rank, or he may, by and with 
the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint and employ retired officers with 
increased volunteer commissioned rank not to exceed one grade above that held 
by them upon the retired list. 

Senator Warren. Are you not going to have a great pressure there 
of retired officers to get the extra pay, and is it a fact or not that- 
retired officers are usually at an age in life when their initiative and 
rustling abilities for securing recruits, and so forth, are at a low ebb? 

Gen. Wood. They usually are. 

Senator Warren. And would there not be a big pressure for those 
places for a lot of men, in order to help them out ? 

Senator Briggs. I do not see the necessity for that, because when 
an officer is put on duty he gets an increase in his pay of 33^ per 
cent. 

Senator Warren. He does, up to the full pay of a major. For 
instance, if a colonel is retired he can not get any increase. A 
lieutenant would get enough to make his pay equal to the full pay of 
a major. 

Gen. Wood. You might say here “ Provided , That such pay shall 
not be above such pay as he would receive on the active list.’’ You 
would want to get as many men as you could to put in charge of 
these recruiting stations, and even if they were not very active, they 
would know the methods of the service. 


40 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


Senator Briggs. Senator Warren’s proposition was that you would 
get more than you wanted. 

Senator Warren. I Avas wondering whether you would or not. 

Gen. Wood. How would it do to state there that this shall not 
include any officer above the grade of colonel? You Avould not want 
general officers in charge of recruiting stations. If it Avere deemed 
advisable not to have general officers in charge of recruiting stations, 
it could be so framed that no officer above the grade of colonel should 
be detailed or commissioned for this duty. 

Senator Warren. Would you say, “Not above the grade of lieu¬ 
tenant colonel?” 

Gen. Wood. You might make it read, “ Provided , That such in¬ 
crease of rank shall not involve commissioning them with the grade 
aboA r e that of colonel.” 

Maj. Hagood. You might make it read, “Not to exceed one grade 
above that held by them upon the retired list, nor above the grade of 
colonel.” 

Gen. Wood. That would do it; right there. 

The Chairman. That would be a Avise thing. 

Gen. Wood. Then you could take a colonel on full pay. 

The Chairman. I imagine that many of our older officers Avould be 
very valuable in charge of depots. 

Senator Foster. Would not that amendment cut out generals? 

Maj. Hagood. Under existing law in time of Avar a retired officer 
can be assigned to any duty other than that in the field. If you put a 
brigadier general on duty, he could take charge of the station; but he 
Avould not get any increase in rank. 

Gen. Wood. That only provides that Ave shall not give anybody an 
increase of rank Avhich will carry him above the grade of colonel. 

The Chairman. Now we have in section IT this provision for 
discharging officers. I doubt very much whether that is Avise to 
put in. 

Gen. Wood. Did you not haA T e it in the Civil War ? 

Senator Foster. What is that? 

The Chairman. This provision that a board of -officers can be 
convened and recommend the discharge of any officer for incompe¬ 
tency. That might be made a dangerous engine for the gratification 
of personal animosity. 

Senator Warren. Of course you have it qualified by making all 
the officers superior in rank, so that there could not be any jealousies. 

Gen. Wood. You have that in the present law, with the addition 
of this language: “ Such officer shall be discharged from the service 
in the volunteer forces with one month’s pay and allowances.” 

Senator Briggs. What is your objection to that? 

The Chairman. It says that the commander of a separate brigade 
is authorized to appoint such a board. If there Avere personal feel¬ 
ing of any kind, the commander of a separate brigade could appoint a 
board of officers and so detail the board that he could legislate almost 
anybody out of the service, under certain conditions. 

Senator Briggs. Your objection, then, is to giving such a small 
unit? 

The Chairman. Yes, such a small unit. 

Gen. Wood. You might add the safeguard, “at the discretion of 
the President.” 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


41 


Senator Briggs. I am inclined to think that it is not wise to give 
that authority to anyone much below the rank of a division com¬ 
mander. 

The Chairman. I think so, too. 

Gen. Wood. I am perfectly agreeable to strike out the separate 
brigade. You might make it read, “the commander of a division or 
higher unit.” 

Maj. Hagood. It was sent up by the War Department, “or higher 
military unit.” 

The Chairman. I approve of that. 

Senator Warren. Then, would you leave the provision here that 
the report is to be approved by the general commanding the field 
army to which the division belongs? He might be the same one that 
made the board. That reads now: 

Provided further. That if the report of such board is adverse to the con¬ 
tinuance of any officer, and the report bo approved by the general commanding 
the field army to which the division or brigade belongs. 

There might not be anybody higher than the man himself. 

Gen. Wood. If you get up to an army commander, with a board all 
senior to the officer, it is certainly safe. 

Senator Warren. I was wondering whether sometimes the power 
that appointed the court would be the reviewing officer also? 

Gen. Wood. He is now, in a court-martial, in a way. For instance, 
the department commander details a court, and he reviews the pro¬ 
ceedings. 

The Chairman. But that is a different thing. The accused has an 
opportunity of cross-examining at a trial; but this is simply a board 
to report, and that is a very different affair. 

Gen. Wood. I believe this act as it now stands is in this particular 
satisfactory. 

The Chairman. In section 18 the Secretary of War suggests an 
amendment specifically repealing the former act. 

Senator Foster. This act only repeals it so far as it is inconsistent 
with prior laws. 

Gen. Wood. Yes; that would be wise. 

(At 1 o’clock p. m., the subcommittee adjourned.) 


TUESDAY, JUNE 20, 1911. 

United States Senate, 
Committee on Military Affairs. 
The subcommittee met at 11 o’clock a. m. 

Present: Senator du Pont (chairman), and Senators Warren and 
Foster, of the subcommittee. 

Present also: Senators Dixon, Chamberlain, and Williams. 

STATEMENT OF BRIO. GEN. ARTHUR MURRAY. CHIEF OF COAST 
ARTILLERY AND ASSISTANT TO CHIEF OF STAFF, WAR 
DEPARTMENT. 

The Chairman. Gen. Murray, this is a meeting of the subcommit¬ 
tee of the Committee on Military Affairs, which is considering a bill 
for organizing a volunteer army, and the subcommittee would be 



42 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


very glad if you would give us your general views on the bill, and 
more particularly, inasmuch as we understand that you have had 
command of a volunteer regiment, if you will tell us something about 
your experience in command of a regiment in time of actual hostili¬ 
ties, which might be of value with reference to certain provisions of 
this bill. It might be well to first discuss the bill generally, and then 
take it up by sections and make such remarks as occur to you about 
specific sections. However, I will leave that to your preference. 

Gen. Murray. The bill, as I understand it, is a bill to replace all 
bills relating to the volunteer service, or all laws relating to the vol¬ 
unteer service, now in force. The majority of those laws, I under¬ 
stand, were passed at the beginning of the Spanish War, and it is 
believed that because of the hurry at the time of their passage, there 
are a number of defects in those bills, and it is further understood 
that it is with a view to remedying those defects and making a proper 
preparation for the possible outbreak of war and the calling out of 
volunteers, that this bill has been prepared. 

As I further understand it, the bill was prepared first by that 
branch of the General Staff known as the War College Division, and 
later received the approval of the Chief of Staff and of the Secre¬ 
tary of War. 

So far as I am individually concerned, I have had absolutely noth¬ 
ing whatever to do with its preparation. It is a matter that has been 
left to others to prepare, and Congress is asked to pass it and make 
it law. I now speak only when called upon, and I am here at the 
request of the chairman to give my opinion upon the merits of the 
bill. As a whole, I think the bill is an excellent one and one that 
should be made law, but there are one or two little verbal changes 
in it that I would suggest or invite attention to. So much for the 
bill generally. 

With regard to my experience in connection with raising volun¬ 
teers, about which the chairman has asked me, in the fall of 1898 I 
was appointed colonel of one of the 10 United States volunteer regi¬ 
ments which were then raised. I was commissioned on August IT, 
1898. At the time that I was commissioned there were four regular 
officers besides myself commissioned in the regiment, making a total 
of five regular officers in the regiment—one lieutenant colonel and 
three majors and myself. All of the other officers, company and 
staff, were appointed by the President from the different States, and 
as a rule they were men who had served a period either in what we 
now call the National Guard, or the militia, or in the volunters that 
were raised to go to Cuba; so that I had in the regiment to start with 
five regular officers and other officers who had had the training they 
had received in the militia or as volunteers. 

These company and staff officers were appointed from nearly all 
of the coast States, beginning with Maine and ending with Louisiana. 
I think I had an officer from nearly every State along the coast, and 
perhaps one or two from other States. If the committee would like 
to hear details. I will now go into considerable detail in regard to the 
organization and training of the regiment. 

The Chairman. I think the committee would be interested to hear 
that; do you not think so, Senator Foster? 

Senator Foster. I think so; yes, sir. 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL, 


43 


Gen. Murray. In organizing the regiment, the field officers were 
commissioned immediately after I was commissioned, and then the 
other officers. All the officers received their commissions, 1 think, 
before the end of August. Each company officer, as he received his 
commission, was directed by the War Department to begin recruiting 
in his own neighborhood, in the State from which he was appointed! 

1 went at once to the place of rendezvous, which was at Fort Ethan 
Allen, V t., and I thereafter had daily telegraphic communication 
with the company officers who had been commissioned and ordered 
to begin recruiting, keeping note of the number of recruits that each 
officer was getting in his neighborhood. So long as an officer was 
doing well in his recruiting business I let him continue it, but the 
instant I found that he was not doing much in the recruiting line I 
ordered him to the rendezvous at my headquarters, at Fort Ethan 
Allen, and put him to work drilling recruits, who were sent on as 
soon as possible, by detachments, from the places where they were 
recruited. Of the 12 companies composing the regiment. 10 were 
organized by me at Fort Ethan Allen and 2 were organized in 
San Francisco. Regarding the 10 companies organized by me, all 
were, I think, fully recruited by the end of September. During the 
month of September the regiment was being recruited, and we did 
such training as we could with the detachments as they came in. 

Senator Foster. As these men were recruited, were they then sent 
to the rendezvous? 

Gen. Murray. At Fort Ethan Allen, by detachments, as soon as 
they could get enough to send: ordinarily in detachments of 10 or 20 
men, the recruiting officers, by my direction, keeping them at the 
places they were recruited until enough recruits had been obtained to 
make it advisable to send them on. From about the 1st of October 
until the regiment sailed for the Philippines on November 10, 1 had 
the whole regiment together, to train. This gave me a month and a 
half to train the 10 companies of the regiment after they were fully 
recruited. 

Senator Williams. How long did it take to get them together, 
General ? 

Gen. Murray. As 1 said, the recruiting began about the 1st of 
September, and bv the end of September, to the best of mv recol¬ 
lection, the 10 companies were completely recruited, and I then had 
from the 1st of October until the 16th of November, when we sailed 
for the Philippines, to train the 10 full companies. 

In actually training the regiment, from the time that the recruits 
began to come in until the last week before we sailed for the Philip¬ 
pines, there were but three regular officers, myself and Gvo majors, 
with the regiment. The week before we sailed another of the regu¬ 
lar officers, a major, joined. The lieutenant colonel never joined. 
He was then in the Philippines, and was kept on other duty there 
until the regiment embarked to return to the United States. I there¬ 
fore had with me when organizing the regiment at Fort Ethan Allen 
tw r o regular officers, when taking the regiment to the Philippines, 
thre$ regular officers, and during the service of the regiment in the 
Philippines three regular officers besides myself—four regular officers 
all told. 

In training the 10 companies at Fort Ethan Allen I then had but 

2 regular officers—majors—as assistants. The method of training 


44 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


we devised and followed was as follows, the object being* to train the 
regiment of 10 companies as soon as possible. The method adopted 
was to give them just as much training as Ave could get in between 
re\ 7 eille and retreat each day, for the enlisted men, and to give the 
officers a little more in the shape of lectures and general instruction 
at night. From the time that the companies were fully recruited, 
about October 1, until we left the United States for the Philippines 
on November 16, the above method of training was continued, so 
that these companies had about 6 weeks of solid training, every 
week day and every Sunday being occupied in the training. 

Senator Dixon. That is what I wanted to know—how effecti\ T e a 
fighting force did you have there at the time ? 

Gen. Murray. I had 10 companies. 

Senator Dixon. I do not mean in numbers. 

The Chairman. What Avas their instruction? 

Senator Dixon. Hoav well Avere they drilled? 

Gen. Murray. I will explain that a little later. With regard to this 
training during the period referred to, I Avould further say that I 
realized that men hurriedly raised as these were with a view to going 
out to fight in the Philippines in such manner as I understood our 
warfare out there to be, would be more likely to need to knoAV how to 
shoot than to do anything else. The fighting in the Philippines, as I 
understood it, was to be guerrilla warfare. I therefore thought it 
particularly desirable to have every man that handled a gun know 
how to shoot and shoot to hit. As soon, therefore, as rifles for the 
men were received, the very morning they Avere received, without 
waiting for any training in the manual of arms, I gave instructions 
to two companies to clean the eosmoline off their guns, and as soon 
as they did this put two companies on the target range;'and from 
that time until the day that Ave left Ethan Allen, from reA*eille until 
dark, I had tAvo companies on the target range, shooting. When we 
left Fort Ethan Allen, on November 16 , therefore, we had not only 
the training that could be given in six Aveeks at a good place for mil¬ 
itary training, but the men of the regiment had been taught to shoot. 
When the question is asked, Hoav much training a regiment has had 
and what is its value, there must be taken into consideration the 
place Avhere the regiment has been trained. An armory or a parade 
ground is no place for such work. Fort Ethan Allen was admirably 
suited for the organization of the regiment, for we were there not 
only able to give the regiment the ordinary parade-ground training, 
but also to give the men of the regiment all the training in the open 
or field work that it Avas possible to give them in that time. Thus 
the regiment has had training; not only close-order drills, but also 
in extended order and much target practice at both short and long 
range when we boarded a transport for Manila. 

The Chairman. What was the date of your going aboard? 

Gen. Murray. November 16; three months, therefore, lacking one 
day from the day I was commissioned a colonel, in Avhich to organize 
and train the regiment. 

From the time Ave left New York until Ave arrived at Manila the 
officers were daity instructed in their Avork. On a transport it Ms of 
course impossible to do much drilling of men. but you can instill into 
them some idea of discipline by making them do Avork aboard ship. 
With this in view given parts of the ship Avere apportioned to the 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


45 


companies and the men were kept daily at work, and with enough 
supervision to really add considerably to the ideas of discipline 
already instilled in them at Fort Ethan Allen before we arrived at 
Manila. 

When we landed at Manila about five months from the date when I 
was commissioned colonel, I therefore had a regiment that I would 
have been willing to lead anywhere or into anything. 

Senator Dixon. That is what I wanted to know—were they as 
effective as a regiment of regular troops? 

Gen. Murray. Xo; I can not say that, because as a Regular regi¬ 
ment is trained from year to year there necessarily gets into the 
Regular soldier a mechanical discipline and unquestioning obedience 
that you can not get instilled in any other way I know, and yet the 
men I took to the Philippines were men that would undoubtedly have 
been effective soldiers and simply needed the training of Regulars to 
give them steadiness and the mechanical discipline and obedience 
that comes from constant training. 

Of course a Regular regiment may never have been under fire, but 
due to the long disciplinary training they undergo T think all who 
have read history will agree that the Regulars under their first fire 
have stood better than militia organizations. 

Senator Warren. General, men under first fire, whether they are 
Regulars or Volunteers, some of them fall out, do they not? 

Gen. Murray. Yes; I think there is always a little bit of trepida¬ 
tion about that time. The Regulars simply show it less or stand it 
better than militia or Volunteers. 

Senator Warren. More under their first fire than afterwards? 

Gen. Murray. Yes, always; but they soon get used to it. To 
show you how much we were under fire in the Philippines and how 
much the accuracy with which they had learned to shoot gave them 
the confidence I expected it would, I will say that when I arrived in 
the Philippines I was given charge of two big islands, Samar and 
Leyte—I think the third and the fifth of the islands in size—and that 
when we landed on them I found that instead of there being no 
trouble on them, as the commanding general of the division had 
thought when we left Manila, they were simply seething with insur¬ 
rection. We landed a battalion at three places, after a fight on get¬ 
ting ashore at each place, and then had to divide the battalions and 
undertake to control the country around different places on the islands 
as best we could. In the 18 months we were on the 2 islands the 
battalions, companies, and detachments of the regiment had 451 
encounters with the enemy, such as I might dignify by the term 
“ engagements ”; possibly you would call “ scraps.” At any rate, 
they had been under fire often enough for every man to know what it 
was to be shot at, and I am glad to be able to say they made an excel¬ 
lent showing under fire. 

The Chairman. What was your regiment? 

Gen. Murray. The Forty-third Infantry, United States Volun¬ 
teers. From my own experience in organizing volunteers, under 
conditions such as are proposed in this bill, I believe that within six 
months from the outbreak of war volunteers can be made into equally 
excellent troops, if this law is passed, and we organize and train them 
in accordance with what we would then be able to do under the law. 


46 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


The Chairman. And you assume, I suppose, a proportion of ex¬ 
perienced officers to organize and drill them? 

Gen. Murray. Yes; that is absolutely necessary. 

Senator Warren. You talk about six months. If it was close, 
hand-to-hand fighting, for six or seven days, you would get some 
resistance from the Volunteers, would you not? 

Gen. Murray. Yes; but, of course, the fighting value of volunteers 
depends directly upon how long you have to get them trained. When 
we left the country, after three months the regiment was fairly well 
trained; during the two months they were aboard the transport they 
received a little more training, and when we arrived at Manila they 
really were good soldiers, though not Regulars. 

Senator Dixon. How many of your privates had seen any service 
before, either in the Regulars, during peace, or in the Spanish War? 

Gen. Murray. I think comparatively few. 

Senator Dixon. There was a sprinkling of them? 

Gen. Murray. Yes; but a very small percentage; I should say not 
over 5 per cent at the outside. 

Senator Warren. There was a percentage of the noncommissioned 
officers ? 

Gen. Murray. Yes; very small. 

Senator Foster. Under the law you were able to get up and disci¬ 
pline a very effective regiment, were you not? 

Gen. Murray. Yes. 

Senator Foster. Wherein does this law differ from the law under 
which you organized your regiment? 

Gen. Murray. That, I believe, is told in detail in this printed 
statement, which shows the difference, section by section, in parallel 
columns, and I think that would be better than my answering it. 

The Chairman. Suppose you take up, rapidly, because the Assist¬ 
ant Secretary of War is here, the bill by paragraphs, and give us your 
observations. 

Senator Williams. Mr. Chairman, before he goes into that, for 
information on my part, I would like to have a little further light 
upon the manner in which these men were disciplined so as to be 
effective within that time. What did you chiefly teach them, skirmish 
drill or company drill, or both? 

Gen. Murray. First, having but two Regular officers as assitants,. 
I assembled all the officers that were at headquarters each evening 
and instructed them in what was to be done the next day. After 
having received this instruction, the company officers studied up the 
work for the next day. The next morning the company officers first 
instructed and acted as drillmasters for their noncommissioned 
officers. The noncommissioned officers, after receiving instruction 
in the particular w r ork for the day, were subdivided, and each was 
given a squad, and taught it what he had been taught that morning. 
We thus began with squad drill and passed from that to other drills. 
As soon as we were able to begin the company drill, the same method 
was followed. The officers were instructed the night before as to 
what was to be done the next day; the next morning they instructed 
their noncommissioned officers, and then made each noncommissioned 
officer take command of a squad and drill it. 

In this way the men were instructed not only in squad drill, but in 
company drill and in battalion drill, each major taking command of 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


47 


a battalion as soon as the companies were well enough drilled for 
them to be brought together, and I of the regiment as soon as the 
battalions had been trained as such. Not only was the regiment 
trained in close-order drills on the parade ground, but in extended 
order in the rough ground and wooded land on the post, which was 
well suited to such training. This open field work is considered all 
important in the training of infantry, and no place should be selected 
for the organization of a regiment of infantry where such training 
can not be had. A soldier who is drilled only on a parade ground 
or in an armory is not prepared for work in the field. Of course, if 
he is a bright, intelligent man, he learns quickly when he gets in the 
field, but it is absolutely necessary that he be given such training. 
Besides, being trained in close and extended order drills, the regiment 
I organized had much target practice, as I have told you. From my 
experience, 1 believe that if some such method of training as I have 
here outlined is followed, a great deal can be done in a comparatively 
short time in the training of Volunteer troops—and Volunteers are 
what we shall undoubtedly have to depend upon largely in case of 
war. 

Senator Warren. General, as a comparison of the tactics of to-day 
and those of 50 years ago in the Civil War, for instance, do I under¬ 
stand it correctly that a large part of the present discipline and drill 
is to save your men and not expose them to unnecessary fire, as 
they did in earlier years? 

Gen. Murray. Yes; that is what I mean by the open country or 
field work. 

Senator Warren. They are taught not only to shoot and hit the 
mark, but to protect themselves? 

Gen. Murray. In olden days men fought in close order; now they 
scatter or fight in extended order, seeking cover to save themselves as 
much as possible. 

Senator Williams. That is what I meant by a skirmish drill. 

Gen. Murray. Yes. 

Senator Dixon. I want to ask the chairman a question. At Bull 
Bun, how did the Regular troops perform as compared with the 
Militia ? 

The Chairman. I was not there, but the official reports as well as 
the unanimous testimony of every one with whom I have talked who 
was in that battle, show that they behaved with the utmost steadiness 
and gallantry, that they covered the retreat, and distinguished them¬ 
selves in every possible way. 

Senator Dixon. The Regulars? 

The Chairman. Yes. 

Senator Dixon. The Regulars did not join in that disorderly re¬ 
treat at Bull Run? 

The Chairman. Not in the slightest degree. 

Senator Dixon. They did not run into Washington then? 

Idie Chairman. Oh, no; never. There were nine Regulai batteries 
of Field Artillery who did splendid service; two of them were very 
badly cut up and lost heavily in men and material. The seven troops 
of Regular Cavalry and the eight companies of the Regular Infantry 
covered the retreat and behaved admirably. Had they not been 
present, I believe that the Confederates would have entered Washing¬ 
ton. I will submit for the information of the subcommittee extracts 


48 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


from the official reports relative to the behavior of the Regulars at 
Bull Run. (See Appendix B.) 

Senator Dixon. What percentage of McDowell’s army—25,000 
men I believe it was—was Regulars? 

The Chairman. I am not very clear about that, but I do not think 
there were over 1,200 Regulars of the Infantry. 

Senator Warren. The Regulars of those days were Regulars of 
recent date, most of them ? 

The Chairman. Not all of them by any means; there were many 
old Indian fighters and veteran soldiers. 

Senator Warren. We are speaking of peace times: but as a com¬ 
ponent part of the great Army we had afterwards, there were very 
few. 

The Chairman. Yes. 

Gen. Murray. With regard to this matter of the training of the 
Volunteers, I think I might add at least a word or two that might 
be of interest to the committee. I have stated the method of train¬ 
ing one regiment. If we were called to raise, at the time of war, a 
number of troops, say 50,000 or 100,000, or if we were called sud¬ 
denly to expand to a big number, 300,000, in addition to our Regu¬ 
lar troops and the National Guard, we would have considerable 
trouble finding enough officers to do the work of training so many 
men, officers who themselves had had training enough, or possibly 
capacity, to do such training. I think, however, that if the first call 
were for not more than 50,000 or 100,000, we might find enough Regu¬ 
lar officers and enough other officers under the provisions of this bill 
to train the men thus called out. The officers of the first 50,000 or 
100.000 called out, if they were trained on a proper or a good system, 
such as I believe mine was, would then be sufficient to provide for an¬ 
other expansion, and this could be continued like our old horseshoe 
problem. That is, we would have to begin with a comparatively 
small number of volunteers, train them, and then expand again, and 
continue this until we have all the men we need. But all this would 
take much more time than we are likely to have at our disposal in the 
event of war. 

Senator Chamberlain. How many men did we have in the Phil¬ 
ippines at any one time, do you remember? 

Gen. Murray. I do not know exactly. I will ascertain and include 
it in my testimony. 

[The greatest number of troops stationed in the Philippines at any 
one time was 2.662 officers and 66,758 enlisted men, in December, 
1900.] 

The Chairman. Will you now go over any detailed particulars of 
the bill ? 

Gen. Murray. The bill as a whole I consider an excellent one, and, 
as I have stated, one that I believe should be passed. I want to call 
attention to one word, though, in section 6. Under the second pro¬ 
viso, which is existing law, it says: 

Provided further, That all men received in the service in the volunteer forces 
shall, as far as practicable, be taken from the several States and Territories 
and the District of Columbia in proportion to their respective populations. 

I think that had better read, if you will allow me to make the 
suggestion, “ all officers and men.” 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


49 


Senator W arren. It was understood here at a former hearing* that 
as far as they could have it that way it was to be amended. 

Senator Poster. I think that was a very good suggestion. 

Senator W arren. I think the committee agreed that that was the 
better way to have it—as near as may be. 

(ten. Murray. I he correction or change is suggested as there 
might be a question as to the meaning of the word u men.” 

Senator W arren. That language, 66 officers and enlisted men,” 
would surely cover it. 

Gen. Murray. Yes: “ officers and enlisted men.” If it is desired 
to include female nurses as well as “ officers and enlisted men,” the 
word “ persons ” should be used. 

Senator Chamberlain. I have had a number of letters from offi¬ 
cers of the National Guard; 1 suppose it is in reference to this bill. 
They all seem anxious to have it go through. 

The Chairman. No: the National Guard bill is an entirely differ¬ 
ent matter. 

Senator Foster. That is a bill providing for pay for the National 
Guard. You will find them all in favor of that. 

Gen. Murray. This is a way to raise another army after the Regu¬ 
lar Army and the National Guard are called out. 

The Chairman. This bill does not appropriate a dollar. 

Senator Williams. It just supplies the machinery. 

The Chairman. It just supplies the machinery. What is your 
next point, Gen. Murray? 

Gen. Murray. Well, this you have probably discussed. It was a 
question as to the number of Regular Army officers provided in the 
different organizations, battalions, and regiments. 

The Chairman. That is in section 10? 

Gen. Murray. Yes. That proviso reads as follows: 

Provided further , That not to exceed two Regular Army officers shall hold 
volunteer commissions in any one battalion of volunteer engineers or signal 
troops at the same time: and not to exceed two Regular Army officers shall 
hold volunteer commissions in any one battalion of volunteer Field Artillery 
at the same time; and not to exceed four Regular Army officers shall hold 
commissions in any one regiment of volunteer Cavalry, Field Artillery, or 
Infantry, or in every 12 companies of Coast Artillery, including their field 
and staff, at the same time. 

I would have said, leave it as it now is, if we are undertaking to 
get the most efficient organization we can. If it is a question of 
political expediency or of giving some of the higher commissions to 
the militia, then let it stand as it is. 

The Chairman. Is it not a question of not entirely depleting or 
destroying the Regular Army by taking all your officers away? 

Gen. Murray. That is the reason I said that if the number of 
troops called for was not too large we could expand up to a certain 
number and not have to take too many regular officers. I would sug¬ 
gest “ five " instead of “ four.” 

Senator Dixon. Five? 

Gen. Murray. Yes; five, which would provide one colonel, one 
lieutenant colonel, and three majors. Tet us assume that a colonel 
in raising a regiment has among his field officers a man who has not 
as much training or military education as it is presumed a regular 
officer has. The colonel, with his regiment to train and with a field 

16247 — VOL army— 11 - 4 


50 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


officer who may not be well up on his work on his hands, is handi¬ 
capped in his work to just that extent. 

Senator Warren. This does not oblige you to put in five. It sim¬ 
ply says you can not put in more than five. 

Gen. Murray. That is all. After the first men called have been 
trained, you could probably get out of those who have been so trained 
as many officers as you need, almost as good as the regular officers. 
That is, a man who hafe gone through such training as that I have 
outlined to you would be better than a man that had never had such 
training, or had never given much thought to the matter of training 
Volunteers. 

Senator Warren. What is your next point, General ? 

Gen. Murray. That is all. 

The Chairman. General, we are very much obliged to you, and 
very glad to have had you before us. 

STATEMENT OF HON. ROBERT SHAW OLIVER. ASSISTANT SEC¬ 
RETARY OF WAR. 

The Chairman. Mr. Assistant Secretary, would you be kind enough 
to give us your views on this bill? This is a subcommittee of the 
Military Committee, and we are considering this bill for the organi¬ 
zation of the Volunteer Army. Will you give us your views in gen¬ 
eral as to the bill, which I assume you have looked over very carefully 
and studied, and then afterwards, if you think proper, point out or 
discuss any particular provisions of it ? 

Senator Warren. We are assuming, of course, that the Assistant 
Secretary is an admirer of the Volunteer Army and the volunteer in 
the Volunteer Army. 

Secretary Oliver. I was a volunteer originally. I think that an¬ 
swers the question. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, this bill, which I 
am very conversant with, or the original of this bill, in 1908 was pre¬ 
pared by the General Staff after nearly a year’s study. The original 
(bill was introduced about 1909 at the special request of the then Sec¬ 
retary of War, who is now the President, and it was placed in my 
hands with instructions to pass it, if possible; that it was an absolute 
necessity to have this new law on the statute books. That was in 
1909. It was a short session, and, although we had several hearings, 
at which I was present, we were unable to pass it, because there were 
so many other matters which Congress considered more important, 
and nothing came of it. It has been introduced at every session since. 
No action has been taken on it. It was introduced at the last session 
in the House, and hearings were had on it before the House com¬ 
mittee in 1909. 

The great necessity of the bill is that a great deal of the present 
law is more or less obsolete. Much of it was hastily prepared, and 
the best parts of it have expired by limitation. That is to say, the 
provisions that raised the volunteer forces after the Spanish War, or 
after the Cuban War, terminated—that is, the act of 1899. 

Senator Warren. You take it that that act w r as a sort of emer¬ 
gency act? 

Secretary Oliver. That was the act by which we raised volunteers 
from volunteers, and that was the best volunteer legislation w~e ever 
had. 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


51 


Senator Foster. What do you mean by raising volunteers from 
volunteers? 

Secretary Oliver. The original call for volunteers in the Spanish 
War was like that in 1861. 

Senator Warren. By the States? 

Secretary Oliver. By the States; and then afterwards Congress 
passed a law raising a new force, which were United States Volun¬ 
teers, which were chosen from the old Volunteers, officered by Volun¬ 
teers largely; but it was a United States volunteer force, and that 
legislation expired by limitation. 

Senator Dixon. That was separate from the State militia? 

Secretary Oliver. Yes. The great necessity of this bill is this: 
It probably has all been told to you by the War College officials, but 
it is absolutely necessary in making any plans, as they must, for any 
future defense of the country, to have drawn up ahead of time all the 
various details as to where troops are to be raised and how they are 
to be raised, and a hundred and one matters which should not be 
left until the last minute; and in all their plans they plan first for a 
certain use of the Regular Army, and a certain use of the Organized 
Militia, which has now become—I do not know that you realize it, 
gentlemen—what the State volunteers used to be in 1861 : but they 
are left utterly unable to complete any plans, because they know 
there must be a third force, because the Organized Militia is limited 
by State laws, and they have no legislation now by which they can 
make any plans, and this bill has been considered with the greatest 
possible care. I think I know the bill from A to Z. It x lias been, of 
course, changed, because there were various things in it which the 
House did not approve of and they have been eliminated, and the 
bill as it is submitted to you now, I think, really contains the best 
thoughts of the best experts of the country. It is a very crying 
necessity. It should be passed. We should have something of that 
character on our books in order that we may carry out the duty 
devolved upon the War Department to be prepared in case of war. 

That is the general fact in regard to the bill, and I do not know 
that I can say any more for it. 

Senator Warren. And the assertion made heretofore that this was 
no cost whatever except in time of war is correct ? 

Secretary Oliver. Yes. There is no cost to it. It is merely neces¬ 
sary legislation to enable us to plan what shall be done when the time 
comes, instead of having it all done in a hurry at the last moment. 
As the Secretary of War said at the time, “ Bring this bill up now, let 
it be discussed when nobody is in a state of anxiety or hurry because 
of a state of war, and let it be thoroughly aired.” He was advised to 
let it stay until war came, and then we could get what we wanted; 
but he said, “ No; let it be thoroughly discussed, and pass it if possible, 
while there is no war scare.” It is merely a common-sense piece of 
legislation; and it is really a most remarkable bill, in that it has 
“ more in little ” than any bill I ever saw. There is not much to the 
bill, and yet it covers the whole situation, every possible subdivision 
and every possible necessity, almost, for raising and keeping full and 
planning a volunteer force which must be had, and it supplements 
what we now have. The National Guard, at the very best, I do not 
think could ever be raised to over 200,000. 


52 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


Senator Chamberlain. What is the strength of the National 
Guard now? 

Secretary Oliver. About 110,000 to 120,000. It varies. We have 
not had a report for nearly a year, now. But the National Guard 
is limited by the law of every State. Every State provides that the 
National Guard shall be so many, and no more; although in almost 
every case they give power to the governor to increase in time of 
war. 

The Chairman. Is it not quite within the limits of possibility that 
in case of a minor war, or an anticipated war of not very great mag¬ 
nitude, that the necessities of the Government, so far as the infantry 
troops are concerned, could be provided for by the Regular Army 
and the Organized Militia, without calling for any volunteers? 

Secretary Oliver. Very likely. They are obliged to call, foi* the 
Organized Militia first, before they call for volunteers 

The Chairman. So that this bill really only provides for a con¬ 
tingency of a grave character ? 

Secretary Oliver. Yes; and nobody could foresee, Mr. Chairman, 
how grave the contingency would be. This bill is not operative until 
we go to Congress again. This bill is a dead letter until we go to 
Congress again, and Congress must first authorize the raising of 
these troops. 

The Chairman. It would seem that the Organized Militia is not 
a well-balanced military establishment. What I mean by that is 
that there is too large a force of infantry as compared with cavalry 
and artillery. 

Secretary Oliver. Entirely so. 

The Chairman. And therefore it might be necessary,^ even in a 
minor war, to call out volunteer cavalry and artillery, without calling 
any infantry? 

Secretary Oliver. Undoubtedly; and also there would be this con¬ 
dition, Mr. Chairman: If you had trouble it would take so long to 
put these men into shape that the moment you called out the militia 
you would want to call these men, anyway, because it would take you 
several months to get them ready to use them when the time carne, 
and every plan that we can make contemplates the use of volunteers. 
There is an enormous shortage to-day in field artillery. It is one 
of the worst conditions we have, and we are trying now to encourage 
the States to have more field artillery; but we are satisfied we will 
have to come to Congress to get some help in that matter, because the 
States do not take any interest in field artillery, and that is one of 
the things that the regular forces, the militia and so on, are most 
deficient in. 

Senator Foster. Are there any provisions in the Dick bill by which 
the National Guard of the various States are to be organized so as to 
bring about any equilibrium in the forces, any balance in the forces— 
so many militia and so many infantry and so many artillery? 

Secretary Oliver. No, sir. 

Senator Foster. Would it be wise to have that? 

Secretary Oliver. It is not necessary. The National Guard is 
purely a State force. The Federal Government has no control over 
that whatsoever, and all we can do is to recommend to the States 
what to do. 

Senator Foster. Could you not recommend that to the States? 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


53 


Secretary Oliver. We propose to do that. 

Senator Foster. Of course the Federal Government would not 
have any authority over the States, but could you recommend a policy 
ot that kind in the organization of the National Guard? 

Secretary Oliver. I hat is exactly what we want to bring before 
Congress. Y\ e want to bring it up to Congress, to show how we think 
the military forces of the country should be organized, the Regulars 
and the militia and so on, and what thev lack; and the idea was, with 
regard to States, that we would say to the States, “ We would like, if 
you could, to have you give us so many regiments of cavalry and so 
many batteries of artillery, which, combined with the organization 
of the Regular Army and Volunteers, would give us a field army. 
But we could only point out to the States what we lack, and ask them 
to raise them. 

Senator Warren. Mr. Secretary, it has been our idea that we were 
very short in field artillery, and not only in men, but in ammunition 
and in cannon and material of all kinds. That has been overcome, 
has it not, pretty largely, so far as the building of the guns is con¬ 
cerned ? 

Secretary Oliver. We are overcoming it. Every year Congress 
gives us a certain amount to build field artillery, and every year we 
have had an appropriation of varying amounts. 

The Chairman. You are gradually overcoming that shortage? 

Secretary Oliver. We are gradually overcoming the shortage and 
accumulating a reserve in the way of batteries and ammunition to 
equip militia and volunteers when we get them. 

Senator Foster. Is there any danger that the material which you 
are now accumulating will become obsolete? 

Secretary Oliver. No, sir. 

Senator Foster. It is not like the material for the Navy, then, in 
that way? 

Secretary Oliver. No: not in that way. We have the latest can¬ 
non and the best models. There is no danger of that at present, 
unless some of the European nations should develop an arm so much 
better as to make it obsolete. 

Senator Warren. Nobody anticipates that? 

Secretary Oliver. No; and it is not in sight, anywhere. 

The Chairman. Section 11 provides as follows: 

Sec. 11. That the vacancies created in any grade among the commissioned per¬ 
sonnel of any arm. staff corps, or department of the Regular Army, through ap¬ 
pointments of its officers to higher volunteer rank, shall ho subject to the provi¬ 
sions of section twenty-seven of the act of February second, nineteen hundred 
and one. with reference to details to the Staff Corps. 

This means that these people, when they get their promotions, 
retain them when they go back and become supernumerary officers? 

Secretary Oliver. Not necessarily. If there are no vacancies for 
them, they do. 

The Chairman. 1 mean they become supernumerary officers if 
there are no vacancies? 

Secretary Oliver. And they are gradually absorbed. 

The Chairman. They are gradually absorbed. Now, what I want 
to ask }’ou is this: In case of an extended War, would we not have, at 
its close, an undue and abnormal number of field officers and captains 
w r ho could not be provided for and taken care of? 


0 


54 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


Secretary Oliver. I think not, because they go back to their old 
grades again. 

The Chairman. They go back with the rank they held. They are 
promoted, you know? 

Secretary Oliver. Yes, but they do not hold that rank. You re¬ 
member, Senator, in the Civil War, how you used to see regiments of 
Infantry commanded by captains. In this case such a captain prob¬ 
ably would have an extra, rank, as colonel. 

Senator Warren. We did that in the Spanish War, did we not? 

Secretary Oliver. Yes; but he remains a captain all the time, and 
when the war is over he goes back to whatever grade he naturally 
would have risen to by lineal promotion, so that a captain going back 
perhaps would be a major. But the chances are that by casualty, 
and so on, there will not be many supernumeraries. They will be 
absorbed. 

Senator Foster. I understood you to say that when a captain is 
promoted to a colonelcy, some officer, some lieutenant in the captain’s 
company, would then be promoted to the captaincy ? 

Secretary Oliver. And they would have temporary commissions 
in both cases. 

Senator Foster. I did not understand the bill that way. 

Secretary Oliver. Those would be temporary commissions. 

The Chairman. I do not think you quite understood me, General. 
Of course a regular officer who takes a volunteer commission, at the 
close of the war, when the Volunteers are mustered out, is mustered 
out, so far as his volunteer commission is concerned; but under this 
bill, when a regular officer is given volunteer rank, another regular 
officer is promoted to his place, and he holds that. He does not go 
back. 

Secretary Oliver. No; under that, he holds that place. That is 
correct. 

The Chairman. My question was whether there would not be an 
undue proportion of field officers and captains if this act of Febru¬ 
ary 2 was applied. I am afraid that at the close of the war you 
would find several hundred regular officers with extra rank, who 
would be supernumerary in the different grades, and my reason for 
asking you was to ascertain whether you had considered that, and 
whether you thought that an inconvenience to the service would 
result. 

Secretary Oliver. I should doubt it, because there must be so 
many casualties, so many changes, that I should think those men 
would be very soon absorbed. 

Senator Dixon. We are not creating these permanent ranks here in 
the volunteer force. 

Senator Foster. This is in the Regular Army. 

Secretar}' Oliver. If a captain, for instance, is made a colonel, 
if he has one of the temporary commissions as colonel, if a lieutenant 
below him is made a captain, that is a permanent promotion; that 
is, in his own corps. 

The Chairman. That is to prevent the regular regiments being 
left entirely without officers. Now, after the war is over, a man who 
has been detailed away comes back also as a captain. Would it not 
make too many of these officers? 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


55 


Senator Dixon. The man who is detailed to the Volunteers and 
receives a commission in the Volunteers does not get that perma¬ 
nent rank. 

Senator Warren. The man who is promoted to colonel has a tem¬ 
porary commission, but the man who takes the notch in between is 
permanent. 

Senator Dixon. I think that is wrong. 

The Chairman. I am decidedly of that opinion, and that was the 
reason I asked the question. 

Secretary Oliver. The original bill did not have that because we 
provided in the original bill that these men should have only volun¬ 
teer commissions; so that they all went back to their original places. 

Senator Warren. They all had the extra pay and rank, and then 
they all went back so far as they could, but, as you say, the current 
would be largely one way; but the back current would come in and 
carry a great many of them up. 

Secretary Oliver. The original draft of the law provided that 
these men should have volunteer commissions, even if they were in 
regular regiments. They were given temporary volunteer commis¬ 
sions in the regular regiments, and as soon as the war was over they 
all went back. 

Senator Warren. This way you would have a lot of supernumer¬ 
aries there until they were absorbed? 

Secretary Oliver. Yes. 

Senator Warren. Of yourse, if it was a long, hard war you would. 
hardly feel that? 

Secretary Oliver. Yes. 

Senator Warren. If it was an extensive war, but of short duration, 
I should say that you would have a large surplus. 

Secretary Oliver. Yes; if we took away a great many officers. 
But you are limited in the number of officers you can take away to 
the volunteer regiments to four. The old law gives them volunteer 
commissions. 

Senator Dixon. The old law T reads as follows: 

Sec. 27. That each position vacated by officers of (lie line, transferred to any 
department of the staff for tours of service under this act, shall be filled by 
promotion in the line until the total number detailed equals the number author¬ 
ized for duty in each staff department. Thereafter vacancies caused by details 
from the line to the staff shall be filled by officers returning from tours of staff 
duty. If under the operation of this act the number of officers returned to any 
particular arm of the service at any time exceeds the number authorized by 
law in any grade, promotions to that grade shall cease until the number has 
been reduced to that authorized. 

Secretary Oliver. That is the absorption we are talking about. 

The Chairman. That is the point. 

Senator Warren. If we were to have, say, a bad scare which caused 
the raising of a large army, and then the war should flatten out and 
be very short, it would be difficult, then, to legislate men out of office 
or to lower rank. If, on the other hand, in this act Ave should pro¬ 
vide, as in the first bill, that they should all have these temporary 
commissions and go back, if it was sought then to legislate, it would 
be very easy then to give the benefit to those men who should have it. 

Secretary Oliver. I say, frankly, that I am in favor of the first 
bill. 


56 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


Senator Warren. You can legislate for it afterwards, but you can 
not throw men backward. 

Secretary Oliver. If, in place of this section 11. you should use 
the old section 12, you would cover the whole ground. The old sec¬ 
tion 12 provided that every officer should receive a volunteer com¬ 
mission. 

Senator Warren. That is what we have done heretofore. 

Secretary Oliver. In the Civil War we had Regulars in the volun¬ 
teer regiments. 

That scheme is an admirable one. One of the difficulties suffered 
from in the Civil War was that all these minor positions were left 
vacant—the first and second lieutenants. We did not have enough 
Regulars. 

The Chairman. It would be stupid to organize the volunteer army 
in such a way as to destroy the Regular Army. As we have a Regu¬ 
lar Army of experience and training, let it be officered so that it can 
perform its functions. In time of war we need both an efficient 
Regular Army and an efficient volunteer army. 

Senator Dixon. Were you a Civil War man? 

Secretary Oliver. Yes. 

Senator Dixon. What was your organization? 

Secretary Oliver. The Fifth Massachusetts Cavalry. 

Senator Dixon. What was your age? 

Secretary Oliver. I was 17 years old when I was commissioned a 
second lieutenant in 1864. . 

Senator Dixon. How long did you serve in the Regulars? 

Secretary Oliver. Four years, and then I have been in the militia 
for 20 years, so that I have had a combined experience. 

Senator Dixon. You ought to be pretty well informed about all 
these matters. 

The Chairman. Is there any other provision in the bill that you 
care to speak of in detail? 

Secretary Oliver. Yo; not a great deal, except that very thing 
which you brought up. 

Senator Foster. Will you specifically indicate what amendment 
you think ought to be made to section 11.? 

Secretary Oliver. I beg to submit the following amendment of 
section 11, as invited by the committee, this being slightly modified 
from section 12 of the bill as prepared and introduced bv the War 
Department as S. 4006, Sixty-first Congress, second session, which 
measure was presented by Senator Warren under date of December 
13, 1909. This was the original idea and intent of the experts who 
prepared the bill, and I can see no objection to it in any way after 
a careful study of the laws, Articles of War, and the decisions of 
the Supreme Court on the seventy-seventh article of war. Proposed 
amendment as follows: 

Sec. 11. That the vacancies created in any grade among the commissioned per¬ 
sonnel of any arm, staff corps, or department of the Regular Army, from ap¬ 
pointments of its officers to higher volunteer rank, may he filled, by and with 
the advice and consent of the Senate, by temporary appointments and promo¬ 
tion with volunteer rank of the remaining officers of the arm, staff corps, or 
department in the order of their seniority therein : Provided , That vacancies 
remaining thereafter at the bottom of the arm. corps, or department lists may 
be filled temporarily, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, with 



VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


57 


volunteer officers of such number and grade as shall maintain each arm, corps, 
and department at its full authorized commissioned strength : And provided 
further , That the volunteer commissions authorized by this section shall con¬ 
tinue in force only until the conclusion of hostilities or the passing of the emer¬ 
gency, whereupon they shall terminate in the same manner as is provided by 
section five of this act. 

1 he Chairman. General, we are very much obliged to you, and 
we have been very much interested in all you have told us. 

Secretary Oliver. \ou are very welcome. .May I be excused? 

The Chairman. Yes, sir. 

(At T2.15 o’clock p. m. the subcommittee adjourned.) 


Appendix A. 


S. 2518, Sixty-second Congress, first session. 


[In the Senate of the United States. May 25, 1911.] 

Mr. du Pont introduced the following bill ; which 
was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
Military Affairs : 

A BILL To provide for raising the volunteer forces 

of the United States in time of actual or threat¬ 
ened war. 

lie it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre¬ 
sentatives of the United States of America in Con¬ 
gress assembled. That all male citizens of the 
United States and all male persons of foreign birth 
that declare their intention to become citizens of 
the United States under and in pursuance of the 
laws thereof, who are of sound body and mind and 
between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years, 
are hereby declared to constitute the national 
forces, and with such exceptions and under such 
conditions as may be prescribed by law shall be 
liable to perform military duty in the service of the 
United States. 

Skc. 2. That the organized and active land forces 
of the United States shall consist of the Regular 
Army and of the National Guard. 

Provided, That in time of war, or when war is 
imminent, the aforesaid land forces may be aug¬ 
mented by such volunteer forces as Congress may 
authorize. 

Sec. 3. That the Regular Army is the permanent 
military establishment, which is maintained both in 
peace and war under the provisions of law. 

Sec. 4. That the National Guard is the Organized 
Militia of the several States and Territories and 
District of Columbia, organized as a land force and 
subject to be called into the service of the United 
States. 

- Sec. 5. That the volunteer forces shall be main¬ 
tained only during the existence of war, or while 
war is imminent, and shall be raised and organized, 
as in this act provided, only after Congress has or 
shall have authorized the President to raise such a 
force. 

Provided, That all enlistments in the volunteer 
forces shall be for a period terminating with the 
conclusion of hostilities or the passing of the emer¬ 
gency. unless sooner discharged, and that all offi¬ 
cers "and men composing said forces shall be dis¬ 
charged from the service of the United States as 
soon as practicable after the conclusion of hostili¬ 
ties or the passing of the emergency. 

Sec. 6. That when volunteer forces are to he 
raised the President shall issue his proclamation 
stating the number of men desired for each arm. 
corps, and department, within such limits as may 
be fixed by law. and the Secretary of War shall pre¬ 
scribe such rules and regulations, not inconsistent 
with the terms of this act. as may be necessary for 
the purpose of examining, organizing, and receiving 
into the service the men called for. 


Remarks. 


Existing law. Slight change in 
wording only. 


This section accords with existing 
law in that it recognizes the Na¬ 
tional Guard as a separate force 
from Volunteers. The use of the 
term “ National Guard ” instead of 
Organized Militia is new. 

Existing law. 


Existing law. except for the use of 
the term “ National Guard.” 


Existing law. except for slight 
changes in wording and change in 
term of enlistment from two years 
to the period of the war or existing 
emergency. 


Existing - law. with slight verbal 
changes. 












58 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


S. 2518. Sixty-second Congress, first session. 


Provided, That the power to organize shall in¬ 
clude the power to provide the officers and enlisted 
men of all grades and classes, including trained 
nurses, male and female, that may be necessary in 
the various arms, corps, and departments. 

Provided ' further. That all men received in the 
service in the volunteer forces shall, as far as prac¬ 
ticable, be taken from the several States and Terri¬ 
tories, and the District of Columbia, in proportion 
to their respective populations. 

Sec. 7. That the volunteer forces shall be subject 
to the laws, regulations, and orders governing the 
Regular Army ; and the organization ef all units 
of the line and of the signal troops of such forces 
shall be the same as that prescribed by law and 
regulations for the corresponding units of the Regu¬ 
lar Army. 

Provided, That when military conditions so re- I 
quire, the President may organize the land forces of ! 
the United States into brigades and divisions and J 
such higher units as he may deem necessary, and 
the composition of units higher than the regiment i 
shall be as he may prescribe. 

Provided further. That to each regiment of Infan¬ 
try, Cavalry, and Artillery, and to each battalion 
of Engineers and signal troops organized under this 
act, there shall be attached the same personnel and 
troops of the Medical Department as are attached { 
to like organizations of the Regular Army. 

Provided further. That the organization of the 
coast defenses, of machine-gun detachments, sani¬ 
tary formations, remount depots, military trains, 
secret-service agencies, military prisons, lines of 
communication, including their supply depots, and 
of other adjuncts that may he necessary in the 
prosecution of war, and the organization of which 
is not otherwise provided for by law, shall be as 
the President may from time to time direct. 

Sec. 8. That the President is authorized, by and 
with the advice and consent of the Senate, to ap¬ 
point all officers required to effect the organization 
of units, as set forth in this act; the number and 
grade of such officers not to exceed the number and 
grade of like officers provided for a like force of the 
Regular Army : 

Provided, That the President may appoint, by and 
with the advice and consent of the Senate, volun¬ 
teer chaplains at the rate of one for each regiment 
of volunteer Infantry. Cavalry, and Field Artillery, 
and one for every twelve companies of volunteer 
Coast Artillery raised. 

Provided further. That all appointments below 
the grade of brigadier general in the line of the 
volunteer forces shall be by commission in an arm 
of the service and not by commission in any particu¬ 
lar regiment: and officers in each arm of the service 
shall be assigned to regiments and transferred from 
ane regiment to another, as the interests of the serv¬ 
ice may require, by orders from the War Depart¬ 
ment. 

Sec. 9. That to provide the staff officers that will 
be necessary in the various staff corps and depart¬ 
ments in time of war. while war is imminent, and 
that are not otherwise provided for in this act, the 
President is authorized to appoint, by and with the 
advice and consent of the Senate, such number of 
volunteer staff officers of the proper grades for such | 
corps and departments as he may find necessary. 


Provided. That the total number of such officers 
so appointed shall not exceed the ratio of one* offi¬ 
cer to two hundred enlisted men for all National 
Guard and volunteer forces called into the service 
of the United States : 

Provided further, That no officer above the grade 
of colonel shall be appointed under the provisions 
of this section. 

Sec. 10. That in appointing originally the volun¬ 
teer officers authorized in this act, and in all subse¬ 
quent promotions and appointments of volunteer 
officers, the President ma$ T select them from the 
Regular Army, from the Organized Militia of the 


Remarks. 


First proviso, new wording. Pro¬ 
vides specifically wffiat is implied in 
existing law. 


Second proviso, existing law. 


Existing law. 

Existing law of militia. 


The existing law prescribes brig¬ 
ades of three regiments and divisions 
of three brigades and corps of three 
divisions. 


New. 


Existing law is silent upon this 
subject. 


Existing law prescribes that all 
regimental and company officers shall 
be appointed by the governors, and 
all staff and general officers shall be 
appointed by the President. Volun¬ 
teer acts of May 11, 1898, and Mar. 
2, 1899, prescribed all appointments 
by the President. 

Same as existing law, except ap¬ 
pointments are now provided to be 
by the governors. 


New. 


Volunteer act of Apr. 22, 1898, 
failed to provide any staff officers 
except those for the troops in the 
field. Within three months there 
were eight different acts authorizing 
substantial increases of the staff 
corps by volunteer appointments. 
The act of Mar. 2, 1899, specified a 
number of staff officers equal to 1 
for each 175 enlisted men. 


New wording, but the same thing 
could he done under act of Mar. 2, 













VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


59 




S. 2518, Sixty-second Congress, first session. 


Remarks. 


District of Columbia, and, upon the recommenda¬ 
tion of the various governors, from the Organized 
Militia of the several States and Territories, and 
from the country at large. 

Provided, That in appointments from the country 
at large preference shall be given those who have 
had honorable service in the Regular Army, the 
National Guard, or the volunteer forces, or who 
have been graduated from educational institutions 
in which military instruction is compulsory, and to 
those duly qualified and registered pursuant to sec¬ 
tion twenty-three of the act approved January 
twenty-first, nineteen hundred and three. 

Provided further. That not to exceed two Regular 
Army officers shall hold volunteer commissions in 
any one battalion of volunteer Engineers or signal 
troops at the same time; and not to exceed two 
Regular Army officers shall hold volunteer commis¬ 
sions in any one battalion of volunteer Field Ar¬ 
tillery at the same time; and not to exceed four 
Regular Army officers shall hold commissions in 
any one regiment of volunteer Cavalry, Field Ar¬ 
tillery, or Infantry, or in every twelve companies 
of Coast Artillery, including their field and staff, 
at the same time. 

And provided further, That Regular Army officers 
appointed as officers of Volunteers under this act 
shall not thereby vacate their Regular Army com¬ 
missions or be prejudiced in their relative or lineal 
standing. 

Sec. 11. That the vacancies created in any grade 
among the commissioned personnel of any arm, 
Staff Corps, or department of the Regular Army, 
through appointments of its officers to higher volun¬ 
teer rank, shall be subject to the provisions of sec¬ 
tion twenty-seven of the act of February second, 
nineteen hundred and one, with reference to details 
to the Staff Corps. 


Provided, That vacancies remaining thereafter at ! 
the bottom of the arm, corps, or department lists 
may be filled temporarily, by and with the advice 
and consent of the Senate, by the appointment of 
officers of such number and grade as shall maintain 
each arm, corps, and department at its full author¬ 
ized commissioned strength. The officers thus ap¬ 
pointed shall hold temporary commissions to con¬ 
tinue in force only until the conclusion of hostilities 
or the passing of the emergency, whereupon they 
shall be discharged in the same manner as is pro¬ 
vided by law in the case of volunteer officers. 

Sec. 12. That all returns and muster rolls of or¬ 
ganizations of the volunteer forces shall be ren¬ 
dered to The Adjutant General of the Army, and 
upon the muster out of such organizations the rec¬ 
ords pertaining to them shall be transferred to and 
filed in The Adjutant General's office. And regi¬ 
mental and all other medical officers serving with 
volunteer troops in the field or elsewhere shall keep 
a daily record of all soldiers reported sick or 
wounded, as shown by the morning calls or reports, 
and shall deposit such reports, with other reports 
provided for in this section, in The Adjutant Gener¬ 
al’s office, as provided herein for other reports, re¬ 
turns, and muster rolls. 

Sec. 13. That in time of war all organizations of 
the land forces shall be recruited and maintained as 
near their prescribed strength as practicable. For 
this purpose the necessary rendezvous and depots 
shall be established by the Secretary of War for the 
enlistment and training of recruits, and in order 
that officers may be available for recruiting duty the 
President is authorized, by and with the advice and 
consent of the Senate, to appoint officers of Volun¬ 
teers of the proper arm of the service, additional to 
those elsewhere herein authorized, in numbers not 
to exceed at the rate of one major, four captains, 
five first lieutenants, and five second lieutenants for 
each organized regiment of Cavalry, Field Artillery, 
and Infantry, each three battalions of Engineers, 
and each twelve companies of Coast Artillery: that 


New. 


Act of Apr. 22, 1898, put the 
limit at one Regular to each regi¬ 
ment. The act of Mar. 21, 1899, 
put no limit on the number, but the 
number appointed to each of the reg¬ 
iments thus authorized was one 
greater than that provided in that 
section. 


Existing law. 


Officers detached for volunteer 
commissions are placed on the same 
basis as those detached in time of 
peace for staff duty, militia duty, etc. 
Sec. 27 of the act of Feb. 2, 1901, 
provides for such officers being au¬ 
tomatically absorbed upon the termi¬ 
nation of their staff duty, and the 
same would apply upon the termi¬ 
nation of their volunteer commis¬ 
sions. 

New for line. This was provided 
in substance for the staff by act of 
Mar. 21. 1899. 


Existing law, modified to accord 
with the abolishment of the Record 
and Pension Office. 


New. 














60 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL 


S. 2518, Sixty-second Congress, first session. 


Remarks. 


for purposes of instruction and discipline the troops 
at recruit depots herein authorized may he organized 
into companies and battalions, at the discretion of 
the Secretary of War, with noncommissioned officers 
and privates of such grades and numbers as may be 
prescribed by the President. The recruit rendezvous 
and recruit depots herein prescribed shall be under 
the direct control of the War Department, and 
shall render their reports and returns to The Adju¬ 
tant General of the Army. 

Provided , That to maintain the National Guard 
organizations in the service of the United States at 
their maximum strength, the recruiting rendezvous 
and depots in any State or Territory may. at the 
request of the governor there, enlist and train re¬ 
cruits for the National Guard organizations in the 
sendee of the United States from that State. 

Sec. 3 4. That in the organization of the recruit¬ 
ing system the President is authorized to employ 
retired officers, noncommissioned officers, and pri¬ 
vates of the Regular Army, either with their rank 
on the retired list or. in the case of enlisted men. 
with increased noncommissioned rank, or he may, 
by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, 
appoint and employ retired officers with increased 
volunteer commissioned rank not to exceed one J 
grade above that held by them upon the retired list, j 

Provided , That retired officers and enlisted men 
while thus employed shall not be eligible for trans- 
fer to the field units, but shall receive the full pay ) 
and allowances of the respective grades in which 
they are serving, whether Volunteer or Regular, in 
lieu of their retired pay and allowances. 

Provided further. That upon the termination of 
the duty, or. in case of those given volunteer rank, 
upon muster out as Volunteers, the officers and 
men shall revert to their retired status. 

Sec. 15. That all officers provided for in this 
act are. with the exceptions contained in section 
fifteen hereof, subject to such assignments of duty 
and such transfers as the President may make. 

Provided, That medical officers of Volunteers j 
when detailed as consulting surgeons shall not ex- j 
ercise command over the hospitals to which they j 
may be assigned for duty, except that by virtue of 
their commissions they may command all enlisted j 
men. 

Provided further, That medical inspectors shall 
be detailed for duty with each army, field army, 
and division, and for the base and lines of com¬ 
munications. and that no officer shall be detailed 
for duty as a medical inspector except he be ex¬ 
perienced in military sanitation. 

Sec. Id. That all officers and enlisted men of the 
volunteer forces shall be in all respect on the same 
footing as to pay. allowances, and pensions as offi¬ 
cers and enlisted men of corresponding grades in 
the Regular Army. 

Provided, That enlisted men in the quartermas¬ 
ter’s department and subsistence department of the 
volunteer forces shall receive the same pay and 
allowances as enlisted men of corresponding grades 
in the Engineer Corps. 

Sec. 17. That the commander of a division or 
separate brigade is authorized to appoint, from 
time to time, military boards of not less than three 
nor more than five officers of the volunteer forces 
to examine into the capacity, qualifications, con¬ 
duct, and efficiency of any commissioned officer of 
said forces within his command. 

Provided, That each member of the board shall 
be superior in rank to the officer whose qualifica¬ 
tions are to be inquired into. 

Provided further, That if the report of such a 
board is adverse to the continuance of any officer, 
and the report be approved by the general com¬ 
manding the field army to which the division or 
brigade belongs, such officer shall be discharged 
from service in the volunteer forces with one 
month’s pay and allowances. 

Sec. 18. That all laws or parts of laws incon¬ 
sistent with the provisions of this act are, to the 
extent of such inconsistency only, hereby repealed. 


New. 


Do. 


Do. 

Existing law authorizes the em¬ 
ployment of retired Army officers on 
this duty, but with no volunteer 
commissions. 


New. 


New. 


Existing law. 


New. 


Existing law. 

















VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


61 


Appendix B. 


Hon. IIenry A. du Pont, 

United States Semite. 


War Department, 

The Adjutant General's Office, 

Washington, ■lane 22, 1911. 


My Dear Senator: In response to your oral request of the 20tli instant for 
information relative to the regular troops engaged in the tirst battle of Bull Run, 
with extracts from reports showing their conduct on that occasion, I beg leave 
to tiansmit herewith a memorandum compiled from official records bearing on 
the subject. 

Very truly, yours, 

F. C. Ainsworth, The Adjutant (leneral. 


Statement Showing the Organizations of the Regular Army that Bore a 
Part in the First Battle of Bull Run, Va., July 21, 1801. 

organizations. 

Artillery: First, G, I; Second, A, D, E, G, M; Third, E; Fifth, I). 

Cavalry: First, A, E; Second, B, E, G, I; Second (Dragoons), K; all forming 
a battalion commanded by Maj. Innis N. Palmer, Second Cavalry. 

Infantry: Second, C, Iv; Third. B, D, G, II, K; Eighth, G; all forming a bat¬ 
talion commanded by Maj. George Sykes, Fourteenth Infantry. 

EXTRACTS FROM OFFICIAL REPORTS RELATIVE TO THE BEHAVIOR OF THE REGULAR 

TROOPS IN THE BATTLE AND THE MANNER OF THEIR RETIREMENT FROM THE 

FIELD. 

Maj. Gen. Irvin McDowell, commanding United States forces, says: 

“ Ricketts battery (I, First), which did such effective service and played so 
brilliant a part in this contest, was, together with Griffin’s battery (1), Fifth), 
on the side of the hill, and became the object of the special attention of the 
enemy, who succeeded (our officers mistaking one of his regiments for one of our 
own and allowing it to approach without firing on it) in disabling the battery 
and then attempted to take it. Three times was he repulsed by different corps 
in succession and driven back and the guns taken by hand (the horses being 
killed) and pulled away.” 

Regarding another stage of the action, Gen. McDowell continues, as follows: 

“The battalion of regular infantry (Sykes’s) alone moved up the hill opposite 
to the one with the house, and there maintained itself until our men could get 
down to and across the Warrenton turnpike on the way back to the position we 
occupied in the morning. The plain was covered with the retreating groups, 
and they seemed to infect those with whom they came in contact. The retreat 
soon became a rout, and this soon degenerated still further into a panic. * * * 
They returned by the fords to the Warrenton road, protected, by my order, by 
Col. Porter’s force of Regulars.” (Official Records of the Union and Confed¬ 
erate Armies, Series I, Vol. II, pp. 320, 321.) 

Col. Andrew Porter, Sixteenth Infantry, commanding the brigade in which 
Sykes’s battalion of infantry, Palmer’s battalion of cavalry, and Battery D, 
Fifth Artillery, served, says: 

“ The battalion of Regulars, in the meantime, moved steadily across the field 
from the left to the right, and took up a position where it held the entire force 
of the rebels in check until our forces were somewhat rallied. The commanding 
general then ordered a retreat upon Centreville, at the same time directing me 
to cover it with the battalion of Regulars, the Cavalry, and a section of Ar¬ 
tillery. The rear guard thus organized followed our panic-stricken people to 
Centreville, resisting the attacks of the rebel cavalry and artillery, and saving 
them from the inevitable destruction which awaited them, had not this body 
been interposed.” (Ibid., p. 385.) 

Maj. George Sykes, Fourteenth Infantry, commanding battalion of Regular 
Infantry, says: 

“ This battalion * * * left its camp near Centreville about 3.30 a. in. on 

the 21st instant, and after a circuitous march of 10 or 12 miles arrived on the 



62 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


enemy's left, and was immediately ordered to support the force under Col. 
Burnside, which was suffering from a severe tire in its front. Our line was 
rapidly formed, opening fire, and a column under Col. Heintzelman appearing 
at the same moment on our left, the enemy fell back to the rising ground in his 
rear. My battalion was then advanced to the front, and took a position on the 
edge of a wood immediately opposite a masked battery and a large force of the 
secessionists posted about a house and the fences and trees around it. My three 
left companies were deployed as skirmishers under Capt. Dodge, Eighth In¬ 
fantry, and did great execution among their ranks. At this time the whole bat¬ 
talion became actively engaged, and a Rhode Island battery coming into action 
on my right, and having no support, at the request of its commanding officer, 
and seeing myself the necessity of the case, I remained as a protection to his 
guns. For more than an hour the command was here exposed to a concentrated 
tire from the batteries and regiments of the enemy, which seemed doubled wnen 
the guns of the Rhode Islanders opened. Many of my men assisted in working 
the latter battery. 

“As the attack of our Army became more developed on the right, and the 
necessity for my staying with the guns ceased, I moved my battalion in that 
direction, passing through crowds of retiring troops, whom we endeavored in 
vain to rally. Taking a position on the extreme right, in front of several regi¬ 
ments of the enemy, I opened an effective tire upon them, and held my ground 
until all our troops had fallen back and my flank was turned by a large force 
of horse and foot. I then retired a short distance in good order, and, facing to 
the enemy on the crest of a hill, held his cavalry in check, which still threat¬ 
ened our flanks. 

“At this stage of the action my command was the only opposing force to the 
enemy and the last to leave the field. By taking advantage of woods and broken 
ground, I brought it off without loss, although the guns of our opponents were 
playing on our line of march from every height. While thus retiring, I received 
an order from the brigade commander to cover the retreat of that portion of the 
Army near me. which 1 did as well as I was able, remaining in rear until all of 
it had passed me. 

“After crossing Bull Run my command was threatened by a large force of 
Cavalry, but its order and the regularity of its march forbade any attack. We 
reached our camp beyond Centerville at S p. m. It is but proper to mention 
that our officers and men were on their feet from 10 p. m. on the 2Qtli until 10 
a. in. on the 22d. Without rest, many without food, footsore, and greatly ex¬ 
hausted, they yet bore the retreat cheerfully, and set an example of constancy 
and discipline worthy of older and more experienced soldiers. My officers, 
nearly all of them just from civil life and the Military Academy, were eager 
and zealous, and to their efforts is due the soldierly retreat and safety of the 
battalion, as well as of many straggling volunteers who accompanied my com¬ 
mand * * (Ibid., pp. 390. 391.) 

Maj. Innis X. Palmer, Second Cavalry, commanding battalion of Regular 
Cavalry, says: 

“At the commencement of the action the whoje Cavalry force was ordered to 
the front, and it took position on the extreme right of the line. From this point 
portions were detached from time to time to support the different batteries and 
to examine the ground on the left of the enemy's line. While they were thus 
engaged, a small body of the enemy’s cavalry which had charged through the 
New York Zouave Regiment, came within short distance of my command, and I 
directed a small party, under Sergt. Sachs, of the Second Dragoons, to pursue 
them. He succeeded in capturing several prisoners, among them Gen. George 
Steuart, of Maryland. 

“ During the entire action the Cavalry, sometimes together and sometimes in 
detachments, moved by the direction of the commanding general to various 
points in the field, where there was a prospect of their being able to act to ad¬ 
vantage. When the force on the right of our attacking line first gave way. all 
of my officers, assisted by Gov. Sprague, of Rhode Island, endeavored to rally 
them, and I found it necessary to deploy the Cavalry to oppose the retreat of 
these men. They were, however, totally demoralized,* and a galling fire, opened 
suddenly from the woods in front of us, made all our efforts unavailing. 

“ When the retreat from the field became general, the whole of the Cavalry 
excepting those killed, wounded, or dismounted by loss of horses, was together 
and in good condition. I was directed to cover the retreat, assisted by a section 
of Arnold’s Battery. The enemy rapidly advanced upon the rear, and at the 
crossing of Bull Run it was necessary to form my command to receive their 


VOLUNTEER ARMY BILL. 


63 


cavalry. Two shots from the gims of Arnold caused them to’retire, and soon 
after 1 received orders to push on as rapidly as possible in order to save my com¬ 
mand. I reached Centerville about 8.30 p. m., and this place (Arlington, Va.) at 
5.30 a. in., the next morning.” (Ibid, p. 393.) 

Capt. Charles Griffin, commanding Battery D, Fifth United States Artillery, 
says: 

“The battery immediately opened on the enemy’s battery at about 1,000 yards 
distance and continued firing until his battery was silenced or forced to retire? 
The battery then advanced about 200 yards and opened upon a regiment of in¬ 
fantry formed upon the right of their line, causing it to fall back. The battery 
then changed position to the right and front and opened upon a regiment formed 
near the enemy’s right and a little in front of the one first referred to, doing 
deadly execution and causing it to retreat in much confusion. 

“An order was then received through Maj. Barry, Fifth Artillery, ro advance 
to the brow of the hill, near the position occupied by the enemy’s battery when 
we first arrived on the field. The battery opened upon the enemy’s battery 
amidst galling fire from his artillery and continued firing for near half an hour, 
It then changed position to the right and fired two rounds, when it was charged 
by the enemy’s infantry from the woods on the right of our position. This in- 
fanty was mistaken for our own forces, an officer on the field having stated that 
it was a regiment sent by Col. Heintzelman to support the battery. In this 
charge of the enemy every cannoneer was cut down and a large number of horses 
killed, leaving the battery (which was without support, except in name) per¬ 
fectly helpless. Owing to the loss of men and horses, it was impossible to take 
more than three pieces from the field. Two of these were afterwards lost in 
the retreat by the blocking up of the road by our own forces and the complete 
exhaustion of the few horses dragging them. The same thing happened with 
reference to the battery wagon, forge, and one caisson. All that is left of the 
battery is one Parrot rifle gun and one 12-pounder howitzer limber.” (Ibid., 
p. 394.) 

Maj. William F. Barry, chief of artillery of McDowell's command, after re¬ 
counting the operations of the respective batteries on the battle field, says: 

“ The Army having retired upon Centerville, I was ordered by Gen. McDowell 
in person to post the artillery in position to cover the retreat. The batteries of 
Hunt (M, 2d), Ayres (E, 3d), Tidball (A, 2d), Edwards (G, 1st), Greene 
(G, 2d), * * * were at once placed in position, and thus remained until 12 

o’clock p. m.. when, orders having been received to retire upon the Potomac, the 
batteries were put in march and, covered by Richardson’s brigade, retired in 
good order and without haste and early next morning reoccupied their former 
camps on the Potomac. 

“ In conclusion, it gives me great satisfaction to state that the conduct of the 
officers and enlisted men of the several batteries was most exemplary. Exposed 
throughout the day to a galling fire of artillery and small arms, several times 
charged by cavalry, and more than once abandoned by their infantry supports, 
both officers and enlisted men manfully stood by their guns with a courage and 
devotion worthy of the highest commendation.” (Ibid., pp. 345-348.) 

F. C.. Ainsworth, 

The Adjutant General. 

War Department, 

The Adjutant General’s Obfice, June 22, 1911. 


o 






LB Hr ’12 






























































